Begin Again
by waiting-for-you443
Summary: When journalist Lucy Heartfilia is welcomed home from work by her boyfriend's fists, she does what most would do: calls the police. But when your psycho ex-boyfriend is a cop, things get complicated. It'll take a pair of rookie detectives, a journalist, and the entire Magnolia Police Department to ensure Lucy's safety.
1. The Incident

"Cool!" my boss, Jason, shouted, eyes shut tight and fist pumping. I smiled politely, waiting for his final verdict. It was the third time in the span of ten minutes that he'd mentioned how "cool" he thought the article I'd written was, but I had yet to receive any actual criticism. Really, it wasn't that good. All I had done was interview one of the magazine's top models, Mirajane Strauss. It wasn't that big of a deal. We were friends, after all, so getting the interview had been easy. All I had done was sit in the bar she worked at and ask her questions as she served the patrons. Finally, Jason set down my article and looked at me. My shoulders tensed as I waited to hear what he had to say.

"This is really good, Lucy. You truly have a gift for storytelling. My favorite part was the story about Mirajane and her siblings at the beach!" Jason praised, causing me to shift slightly in my seat opposite him.

"Oh, it wasn't that good," I argued, giggling uncomfortably. "I'm sure there's _something_ that could be improved on."

Jason's eyes met mine, eyebrow raising. "I'm telling you, Lucy, I loved the article. I'll make sure it makes it into the next issue." He sighed deeply. "I don't understand why you have to be so hard on yourself…"

I gave him another smile, shrugging. "I just believe there's always room for improvement. I did change up the wording a little. Maybe I should stick more closely to the way Mira told the story…" I trailed off, thinking of different things I could change about the article.

"Speaking of Mirajane and modeling," Jason began cautiously. My eyes snapped back to his. "We were given an offer for a joint shoot between you two. Don't worry, it's not another bathing suit shoot!" Jason explained quickly, cutting me off before I could argue. "Even Mirajane said she missed modeling with you. You seemed to like it, so—"

"Thank you for thinking of me, Jason," I interjected, cutting him off, "but I'm going to have to pass. Modeling just isn't something I really enjoy anymore. I prefer to be behind the scenes," I explained, pulling the sleeves of my turtleneck sweater a little farther down until the ends covered my hands. The less skin I showed, the better. "Thank you for your feedback. I need to pick some stuff up for dinner, so I'm going to head home." I waved to him as I stepped out of his office. I could still feel his concerned eyes on me as I closed the door behind me.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, signaling a text message. Smiling, I opened the message from my boyfriend, Dan.

 _Just got home. Where are you?_ he had written. I shook my head and typed a quick message back.

 _Got held up by my boss. He wanted to talk about the last article I wrote,_ I explained. I began to gather my things from my desk when my phone went off again.

 _Is that all you talked about?_ My blood ran cold when I read his message. No, no, please. Not tonight. It was our anniversary. I didn't want to fight on our anniversary.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I replied with a curt _Yes, of course_ before I pushed my way out of the building and began my journey to the grocery store. I had almost made it when my phone buzzed again. This time, it was a phone call.

"Hey," I answered cheerfully, hoping that my text had placated him.

"Hi," Dan answered. No such luck. If anything, he sounded more irritated than I was expecting. My stomach began to knot up. "Where are you?"

"At the grocery store," I replied quickly. "I was going to pick up a few things for dinner. I wasn't expecting you to be home so early…"

"You weren't expecting me home? What, were you planning on spending more time with _your boss_?" He snarled out the last two words as if they disgusted him. I scrunched my eyes closed, tensing up. Wrong thing to say, Lucy. How could you be so stupid?

"No," I began calmly, hoping to salvage the situation somehow. "Of course not. I wanted to—"

"We'll talk about this when you get home, Lulu," Dan snapped. I flinched at his hateful tone. I had really done it now. Food wouldn't be enough to appease him anymore. I needed to get home. Now.

"I'm on my way," I assured him. He scoffed and hung up on me. Sighing, I walked out of the store empty handed, making my way home as fast as I could. Just as I was reaching the end of the street, I heard a familiar voice beside me call out, "Hey baby, you going my way?"

"Gajeel!" I squealed, walking up to his open window. He was a detective with the Magnolia Police Department. Dan was his partner, so I got to see Gajeel pretty frequently. He was gruff and mean at first glance, but underneath it all he was a total softie.

"Need a ride?" Gajeel asked, gesturing to the passenger seat of his car. I hesitated for a moment, knowing how much Dan hated it when I was around other men. I shivered as I recalled the last time I'd accepted a ride home from one of my coworkers. Dan had thrown a fit, convinced that I was cheating on him. But this was Gajeel. His partner. Of course he wouldn't believe that I was doing anything indecent with him. I grinned and climbed in.

Walking into the apartment five minutes later, I knew something was wrong. Dan was sitting at the kitchen table, watching me as I dropped my purse on the end table by the door and removed my shoes. Taking a deep breath and placing a smile on my face, I turned to face him. The expression on his face caused my smile to falter.

"Dan?" My voice came out much quieter then I had intended, so I was unsure if he even heard me.

"You're early," he ground out, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You're early! It should have taken you fifteen minutes to walk from the grocery store to the apartment, yet it only took you five. Who were you with?" he demanded, clenching his fists. I resisted the urge to take a step back. He may be super jealous and a little angry, but he would never hit me.

"I ran into Gajeel outside the store. He gave me a ride," I explained, praying he would let it go. It was Gajeel. His partner. It was just Gajeel.

"So, first you're sleeping with your boss, and now you're sleeping with my partner?" Dan growled. I crossed the room to him, reaching up to touch his arm.

"What are you talking about?" I crooned, knowing better than to angrily argue back. That only led to screaming matches, and I was in no mood. "It was just a ride home…"

"Oh yeah, and what did you do to earn that 'ride home'?" Dan spat, jerking his arm away from me. I felt my eyebrow twitch as the implication set in. My temper flared, and I snapped.

"It was just a ride home!" I shouted, throwing my hands up. "I didn't _do_ anything! He was being a good friend!" I thought if I accepted the ride and got home sooner, Dan would be…maybe not happy, but definitely less angry. "And how many times do I have to tell you that I am _not sleeping with my boss?_ " The final part came out as a shrill shriek; that was an argument we had frequently. I was sick of explaining it to him.

"Do _not_ raise your voice at me," Dan hissed. He very rarely yelled. Dan felt that raising his voice above "appropriate indoor voices" was a sign of a lack of intelligence. "And I know something is going on between you and Gajeel. You were flirting with him the last time he came over for dinner."

"What?" I ground out between clenched teeth. He was crazy. There was no way anything like that would happen between me and Gajeel. "Are you fucking serious? Are you really jealous of your partner?"

"I don't get jealous," Dan argued pompously, waving a dismissive hand at me. "It's beneath me."

"And yet, here we are," I said, throwing my arms out to me sides. "Are you really sure it's so _beneath yo_ —" I was cut off by a blast of pain cutting across my cheek, throwing me off balance. I stumbled, attempting to catch the table as I fell to the ground.

" _You stupid bitch!"_ Dan screamed, bringing his foot down onto my stomach. "What gives you the right to speak to me like that? You think a _filthy whore_ like you can talk to me like that? Huh?" He punctuated every other word with another kick. I cried for him to stop, tried to shield myself from the blows, but they just kept coming. Dan continued to screech and kick me, as if he was releasing something he had been holding back for a long time. Finally, after what felt like forever, the barrage of kicks stopped.

"Lulu…" Dan cooed, reaching down to cradle my head. "See what you made me do? I didn't want to hurt you. I'm so sorry! Please, please, forgive me…"

I had to get away from him. My phone was somehow still in my back pocket. If I could just get somewhere safe, I could call for help. Insulting me and putting me down verbally was one thing. I could handle that, but physically hitting me? That was way over my head. I took a deep, shaky breath, wincing at the pain in my ribs. They were probably bruised, but not broken. I was racking my brain for an excuse to leave the room when Dan stood up, yanking me up by one of my arms. I squeaked as pain radiated down my arm and into my side.

"Go get cleaned up, Lulu. I'll cook dinner. Don't worry," he assured me, "it won't happen again. I promise."

 _Like hell it won't,_ I thought bitterly. I stumbled over to the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it behind me. I yanked my phone from my pocket and dialed the first number I could think of. I worked on slowing my breathing as it rang.

 _Please pick up, please pick up, please pick up,_ I prayed in my head, rocking slightly as I waited. Just as I was sure the answering machine would pick up, a gruff voice sounded on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Gajeel!" I breathed, trying to keep my voice down. "I need you to get here as fast as you can. Please! I need your help!" I was wound tighter than a Jack-in-the-Box at this point, watching the bathroom door like a hawk. I hadn't thought to bring anything in with me to defend myself should Dan get a second wind, so I fumbled around, grabbing the first sturdy object I could find.

"Woah, Blondie. Calm down. What's going on?" Gajeel asked distractedly.

"He hit me! Please Gajeel, you have to hurry!"

This got me his full attention. "Who hit you?"

"Dan!" I hissed. A knock at the bathroom door caused me to jump, gasping.

"Lulu? Are you still in there? What are you doing? Are you talking to someone?" At his last question, Dan's voice took on an irritated tone again.

"Please hurry…" I pleaded, shoving myself between the shower and the toilet. Dan must have heard me, because he started pounding on the door.

"Who are you talking to? If you tell anyone about what just happened, I'll kill you. I swear I will, Lulu. Don't test me. Just open the door, Lulu. We'll kiss and everything will be okay again. Just open the door." Despite his soothing tone, Dan continued to pound on the door.

"The police are on the way!" I shouted back, then realized how stupid of a move that was. I could hear Gajeel reprimanding me over the phone, but I ignored him. "They're going to see what you did to me and arrest you! Being one of them won't save you! Stay away from me!" The pounding had stopped. I listened anxiously, trying to hear him moving around at all. I don't remember hanging up the phone, but I must have because after what felt like an eternity of nothing, I heard shouting and footsteps. I could hear Gajeel's voice from the other side of the door.

"Blondie? Blondie? Are you in there? Are you okay? Lucy, talk to me," his voice began to sound desperate, which gave me the motivation to drag myself over to the door. I have no idea how I managed to get to my feet and open the door. The last thing I remember before I passed out was Gajeel's worried face as I collapsed into his arms.

* * *

 **Hey guys! It's been forever, but I'm writing again. I just recently got into (and got caught up with) Fairy Tail, and decided to try my hand at writing a fanfic for it. This one was inspired by x-benihime's fic _Heartstrung_ (which I HIGHLY recommend you guys read if you haven't already). I just couldn't get the idea of cop!Natsu out of my head, and this story was born. I'd been playing around with the idea for about a month before writing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. As always, feedback is greatly appreciated.**


	2. The Aftermath

I opened my eyes to a sea of unfamiliar faces swimming above me. Multiple voices tried to catch my attention all at once, asking me if I could hear them, what my name was, who was the president. Groaning, I tried to sit up, only to be pushed back down by a sturdy hand.

"Woah there, Blondie. You're pretty messed up. You need to stay down." I scrunched my nose up at Gajeel.

"I'm fine." I attempted to sit up again, and this time they let me. "Just a little sore."

"A little?" Gajeel demanded, looking at me incredulously. He looked like he had more to say, but was luckily cut off by an EMT.

"Detective, it is my professional opinion that arguing with the victim isn't the best course of action at the moment." I flinched at the word _victim_. "I'm sure you will have plenty of time to take down a statement once we are done."

Gajeel opened his mouth to tell him off, but was cut off yet again by a uniformed officer calling for him. He shot me one last look over his shoulder before turning to walk away, "This discussion isn't over."

"I know," I mumbled back, looking away. With Gajeel out of the way, the EMTs tended to my wounds (which, luckily, didn't require a trip to the hospital). The next hour was spent having pictures taken of my various scrapes and bruises, during which I took the opportunity to tune out and really think about what just happened. My boyfriend had hit me. He had threatened to kill me. What would happen to me now? I couldn't stay in the apartment. Dan might come back.

When the officers were done with me, I was turned over into Gajeel's custody. I expected him to start into me immediately, but he kept his lips pressed into a thin line as he led me to his car. Instead of helping me into the passenger seat like I was expecting, he opened the back door. I glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow, but he refused to look at me. That's when it really hit me. In that moment, I wasn't Gajeel's friend. I was a victim. I climbed into the backseat, facing straight ahead as he softly shut the door. On the way to the precinct, my gaze followed cars, trees, and buildings. Somehow, it was soothing; like going on autopilot. Before I knew it, Gajeel was pulling into the parking lot and opening the door for me to climb out.

I had only been to the precinct twice during the two years I'd dated Dan. The first time was to meet up with him after his shift for our third date. That was also the day I met Gajeel. The second time was a few months back. Dan had to work late, so I had decided to make him dinner and surprise him. He was certainly surprised. Dan had pulled me into an interrogation room, where he criticized my skirt and tank top and requested that I not show up at his workplace and "flaunt my goods." That was the last time I wore anything that didn't cover my arms, legs, and chest. Needless to say, the rest of the summer had been hell.

"Wait in here," Gajeel said, opening a door. I stepped past him into the room, obediently sitting on the couch. The door clicked closed, and I allowed myself to survey my new environment. He'd left me in an office, not an interrogation room, so I was facing a large wooden desk. Paperwork was strewn about haphazardly, as if someone had been sifting through them. A cushiony desk chair was situated behind the desk, pointing slightly to the right, as if the occupant had abrupted lifted himself from it and walked straight out. From my vantage point on the couch, I could see a lone picture frame; a photo of an older man with red hair with his arm slung across the shoulders of a brunette woman who looked to be about my age. The longer I looked at the mess of a desk, the more anxious I got. I was just about to start organizing it in my mind when the door swung open again.

"Miss Lucy Heartfilia?" the red-haired man from the picture questioned, glancing up at me from a folder he held in his hand. He was well-built, with gray threading through his hair. I placed him in his late forties, at the oldest.

"Yes, sir," I answered. I kept both feet planted firmly on the floor, my hands resting in my lap. I made sure not to make eye contact, keeping my eyes locked on my knees. I heard more than saw him shut the door and move across the room, resting in the desk chair.

"My name is Gildarts Clive. I am captain of this precinct. I would like to begin by apologizing. I am sorry that this happened to you. Unfortunately, I would like to ask you to recount the events of this evening. Please don't leave anything out."

I took a deep breath and began to tell the story of my evening, starting with the text messages and ending with my phone call to Gajeel. Throughout my entire story, Captain Clive remained silent, taking notes. It was only after I had stopped talking that he began asking questions.

"You said Detective Straight was pounding on the bathroom door, and then suddenly stopped. Do you have any idea where he could've gone?" Captain Clive asked me, reading through his notes.

"No, I'm sorry. I thought he was still in the apartment until Gajeel showed up."

"And what is your relationship with Detective Redfox?"

"He's my friend," I answered defensively. After my last fight with Dan, I didn't want anyone else thinking I was having some illicit affair with the black-haired detective. Captain Clive put up his hands in a submissive gesture.

"I meant nothing by that, trust me. I was just considering who to put on this case. Since Detective Redfox has a personal connection to both you and Detective Straight, he is obviously out. I need a team who can handle the case, but also don't have a personal connection to it…" Captain Clive trailed off, obviously speaking more to himself than to me. I was just beginning to let my mind wander when a sudden exclamation startled me.

"That's it!" Captain Clive shouted, snapping his fingers. He quickly raised himself from his chair and made his way to the door. Throwing it open, he leaned out, cupping a hand over his mouth. "Are Fullbuster and Dragneel back yet?"

"Do you hear fighting?" someone called back cheekily, and I couldn't help but grin. Captain Clive didn't seem too offended.

"Well, when they get back, tell them to—"

"Seriously?! What made you think that was a good idea?!" an incredulous male voice interrupted him. The voice was low and slightly condescending.

"It worked, didn't it?" another male voice argued. This voice was rougher, and a bit more carefree.

"You damn near blew up a building," the first voice snapped, obviously not placated. A snort answered him.

"Okay, but did you die?" the second voice retaliated, dripping with sarcasm. I decided I liked the second voice.

"Fullbuster! Dragneel! My office. Now," Captain Clive ordered, halting the angry conversation. I was mildly disappointed by the interruption until I realized the two voices were headed this way. After a short moment, two men slipped into the room. One was lean and pale, with dark hair and perpetually bored-looking eyes. I flushed when I noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt, a peculiar blue tattoo stamped onto his right peck. He wore a silver sword pendant around his neck on a thick silver chain, which clinked faintly each time he shifted his weight. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his slacks, causing him to slouch.

The other man was slightly shorter, with tanned skin. He wore jeans and a button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. A white scarf was looped around his neck, even in the middle of August, and I had to wonder if he was hot. I knew I was sweltering in my turtleneck and jeans. The scarf wasn't even the weirdest thing about him. The weirdest thing was the dusty pink color of his hair. It stuck out in every which way, as if he had just run his fingers through it. His hazel eyes were locked on me, sliding over my face, taking inventory of the injuries he could see.

"All right, you two. I would like to introduce you to Lucy Heartfilia. From today on, she will be your responsibility," Captain Clive explained, gesturing to me. Both men shifted their attention to look at me, causing me to avert my eyes to the floor. Captain Clive let out a long-suffering sigh. "Fullbuster, where the hell is your shirt?"

"What?" the dark-haired man, Fullbuster, asked before looking down. "Damn it!"

The pink-haired man scoffed, his eyes finally leaving me. "Perverted popsicle."

"You wanna say that to my face, Pyromaniac?" Fullbuster shot back, grabbing the front of the other man's shirt. The other man, who I assumed by process of elimination was Dragneel, curled his hands into fists.

"Like you could beat me, Ice Queen," he taunted back, invading Fullbuster's personal space. I stood up from my chair and took a step back, not too keen on getting involved in a testosterone-fueled brawl. Before it could come to that, Captain Clive took control of the situation again.

"That's enough!" he commanded, causing the two men to snap to attention. "I'm giving you two a very important case." This seemed to pique both of their interests, as both men abandoned the fight for the time being to listen. Captain Clive, appeased, turned back to me. "These men are Detectives Gray Fullbuster and Natsu Dragneel. They are two of my best. You will be in good hands."

"Wait a minute," I said, raising my hand to stop him. "What do you mean I'll 'be in good hands'?" I asked, throwing up air quotes. An anxious knot settled in the pit of my stomach. Wherever he was going with this, I wasn't sure I was going to like it.

"Miss Heartfilia," Clive began, voice calm, "due to the circumstances of your situation, we have decided to put you into protective custody for the time being. Until Detective Straight can be located and arrested, you will be placed under 24 hour surveillance, under the watch of Detective Fullbuster or Detective Dragneel."

"Captain Clive," I started, mimicking his tone, "I assure you that is unnecessary. It was one incident. I hardly think that constitutes 24 hour surveillance. I've given my statement, so I'll be returning home now."

"I'm afraid things aren't that simple," Clive insisted.

"How so?" I argued, annoyance trickling through me. "I know how these things work, Captain. You take my statement, I go home." Dan had told me about these situations frequently. It was rare for the perpetrator to return to the scene of the crime that quickly. Not to mention, Dragneel's gaze was beginning to make me feel uncomfortable. He was watching me closely, as if waiting for something. If he wanted to see me break into tears, he would be sorely disappointed.

"The perpetrator in this case is a detective, whom you were living with. He threatened your life, and his firearm was not recovered at the scene. Detective Straight has access to things most others don't, which makes this a special case." Something about Captain Clive's explanation didn't add up. My eyes narrowed as I realized there was something he wasn't telling me. My shoulders slumped in defeat when I realized he wouldn't be telling me what that was tonight, and that I probably wouldn't be talking my way out of this.

"Fine," I sighed, defeated. I was tired, sore, and I just wanted to take a bath and go to bed. I would let Captain Clive win…for now.

"Thank you, Miss Heartfilia," Clive said, relieved. "If you make your way back onto the floor, I'm sure Detective Redfox will be more than happy to get you something to eat or drink while you wait just a little bit longer." Turning back to the two detectives, he said, "I would like to speak to you two privately for a moment."

Taking that as my cue to leave, I thanked Captain Clive for his time and left the office. I wasn't surprised when I saw Gajeel waiting for me.

"Did he really put those two on your case?" he asked, lip curling. Gajeel noticed my look of discomfort and backtracked. "Don't get me wrong, they're great detectives. They're just idiots, is all. The Captain is sending you to a safe house, yeah?" I nodded. "I'll take you to pick up your stuff."

The drive back to the apartment was stony silent. The silence continued throughout the elevator ride up to my floor, where Gajeel explained the reason for our visit to an officer before gesturing for me to go inside. I crossed the threshold then paused, looking back at him expectantly. He stayed firmly in place, and I realized he was giving me space. He was going to let me do this on my own.

I walked into the living room, taking notice of how nothing had been moved. Nothing had changed, yet everything had. I shook my head as I made my way through the dining room to the bedroom. My stomach twisted and turned as I passed the table. Refusing to look anywhere but at the closed bedroom door, it was in my peripheral vision that I saw the blood on the floor. My blood. My stomach gave another uncomfortable lurch.

Finally reaching the door, I reached for the knob and turned. The sight I saw before me was the last thing I had expected. Dresser drawers had been ripped out, their contents spilling all over the floor. Clothing had been pulled from the closet and haphazardly thrown across the room. It looked like a tornado had hit. Carefully stepping around debris, I approached the closet. Inside, under a pile of my clothes, was my suitcase. Dan's duffle bag was gone, along with some of his shirts and pants. He only ever wore khakis. Never jeans. No slacks. Just khakis. Only one or two pairs remained. He had ransacked the bedroom, packed a bag, and ran. How had I not heard any of that?

Taking deep breaths, I pulled my pink suitcase out from under the avalanche of fabric and began filling it, folding each article of clothing carefully before setting it inside. Finally, after I had packed enough jeans and long-sleeve shirts to last me a week without doing laundry, I picked up the case and gently set it on the unmade bed. My underwear drawer had been removed from the dresser, so I leaned down to pick my favorites from the floor. Dan may have criticized what I wore outside the apartment, but I never let him say anything about what underwear I wore. Not that he didn't try.

When I was satisfied with my full suitcase, I zipped it up and walked to the door, casting one more glance over my shoulder at what used to be my bedroom. I would probably never see it again. My heart cracked slightly at the thought.

"You ready to go?" Gajeel asked me when I rejoined him at the front door. I turned to look at my apartment one more time. I had been living in it before I'd started dating Dan. After being together for about four months, he had convinced me to let him move in. I had made good memories in that apartment. Resting my hand on the frame, I said a silent goodbye before turning back to Gajeel.

"Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

 **Oh shit, two chapters in one night? Yeah, that's probably not going to happen again. I had this chapter about halfway written when I posted the first one, and decided to finish this one and post it, too. I have a thing for Lucy/Gajeel brotp. Also, Natsu and Gray make an appearance! Hopefully, I'll get the next chapter written soon. Inspiration can be such a fickle creature.**


	3. The Fresh Canvas

I was going to kill them.

Four hours into a one hour car ride, and I was beginning to contemplate cold-blooded murder. I could ask for Detective Fullbuster to pull over, get out, find a large branch…No, too messy. Also too quick. I could unbuckle Detective Dragneel's seatbelt, reach between the passenger seat and door, and pull that little door handle…No, Detective Fullbuster would arrest me for that before I had the chance to kill him, too. I could…

"If you throw up in this car, Natsu, I swear to god I'll kill you myself!" My train of thought was interrupted by Detective Fullbuster, leaning as far as he could into the driver's side door. "We can't afford to get it detailed _again_."

"Well, excuse me, Princess," Detective Dragneel shot back and I had to hide my smile behind my hand. Dragneel was sarcastic and sassy, which never seemed to fail to entertain me. Wait, no, I was mad. Damn it. "I'm sorry that your dumb ass got lost."

"You were supposed to be navigating!" Fullbuster retaliated, gesturing to the open map on Dragneel's lap. Dragneel peeked at it before slapping his hand over his mouth and placing his fist on his stomach.

"It's your fault for throwing away my motion sickness pills," Dragneel argued weakly, sending Fullbuster a less than threatening glare.

"I thought it was trash because it was yours!"

At this point, I tuned them out again. My mind went back to my last conversation with Gajeel, before the three of us left on this car ride from Hell.

" _All right, Blondie, listen up." Gajeel had pulled me aside when we returned to the precinct. "Salamander and Ice Block may be idiots, but they are pretty decent guys. That being said, if either one of them tries anything, I want you to hit them right where it hurts. Show 'em who's boss."_

 _I was about to retort that I knew_ exactly _what to do, but the look in his eyes stopped me. Gajeel had attempted to look nonchalant, but there was an anger hidden in those crimson depths. He seemed almost…desperate. Helpless. Lost. In that moment, I realized just how much this must be affecting him. Dan had been his partner, the person closest to Gajeel, and he had had no idea what was going on. I softened slightly, offering him a small smile._

" _Okay, Gajeel."_

" _And if they start to fight, just smack 'em upside the head. That should stop 'em. Works for Titania, anyway."_

" _Okay." I had no idea who Titania was, but I really didn't have time to ask._

" _Don't forget to keep the doors locked—"_

" _Time to go!" the pink-haired detective, Dragneel, exclaimed, a wide grin on his face. Fullbuster came to stand next to him, jingling a set of keys. The sight of them caused Dragneel to lose some of the color in his face, his smile dropping into a grimace._

 _Gajeel's face was marred with one as well. I felt my stomach drop into my toes, anxiety building up. I knew next to nothing about these men, and I would have to live with them for the time being. Gajeel rested a reassuring hand on my shoulder before gathering me into a hug._

" _It's gonna be okay, Blondie. I know it may not seem like it now, but it will." He turned to Fullbuster and Dragneel. "Y'all better keep her safe. I mean it. One hair on her head gets hurt, you'll have me to answer to."_

" _Jeez, man, calm down," Fullbuster said, putting his hands up in surrender. "We're not gonna let anything happen to her."_

" _Yeah," Dragneel agreed, smiling again. "She's safe in our hands."_

Now I was wondering just how true that statement had been.

"We're here," Fullbuster informed us, slowing the car to a stop in front of a blue, two-story farmhouse. Dragneel immediately bailed out of the passenger side, kneeling on the ground with his arms in the air in triumph.

"I live!" he shouted, cackling maniacally. Fullbuster rolled his eyes before sliding out of the driver's side. He raised an eyebrow at me when I hesitated.

Taking a deep breath, I opened my door and stepped out, pulling my purse along with me. Fullbuster opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Dragneel.

"C'mon, Looney!" he cheered, grabbing my hand and dragging me toward the house. My suitcase was gripped in his other hand. "I'll show you where your room is!"

"My name is Lucy!" I shouted back, feeling irritation rise in me. Sure, he'd only heard it once, but I figured he would've mistaken it for an actual name. He laughed, tightening his hold on my hand.

"I'm only messing with ya." I stopped short, yanking my hand from his grip. He stopped and turned, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. "What's the matter?"

" _C'mon, Lulu! It was just a joke!"_ I slammed my eyes shut, trying to ignore the panic that began to stir in my chest. Dan liked to make jokes, too. I pulled my sleeves over my hands.

"I'll find my way to my room on my own." I took my suitcase from him and walked passed, staring straight ahead. "I don't need a tour, thank you," I said over my shoulder as I walked through the door he had just opened.

"Your room is the one in the middle," Fullbuster called from the car. "Second floor. Second door on the right."

"Thank you," I replied curtly. Behind me, I heard Dragneel ask Fullbuster what my problem was. The soft thud I heard must have been Fullbuster replying with a slap to the back of Dragneel's head. I was upstairs before I heard any more.

The staircase let out to a long hallway that ended with a door. On the right, there were three doors; on the left, there were two. Reaching the second door on the right, I was greeted with a pretty good-sized room. Nestled inside was a full-sized bed, a dresser, a door that probably led to a small closet, and a desk with a chair by the window. I set my suitcase and purse on the bed, drifting over to open the window. The warm August air breezed through, ruffling my hair. I took a deep breath, bracing myself on the window sill. The view was beautiful—all green trees and grass, blue skies, and rainbow flowers.

I felt my creative juices begin to flow; a story formulating in my mind. Digging into my purse, I dug out my notepad. Normally, I used it for notes while conducting interviews. Since my laptop had been confiscated as evidence, it would become my canvas. Pulling up the chair, I sat myself at the desk and painted a picture using words. All other sounds faded into the background—the birds calling, wind blowing through the trees, the two men bickering downstairs as they unloaded the car—and soon I was lost in a world of my own creation. In this world, magic was abundant and those who devoted their lives to the use of it were referred to as "wizards." A girl escaped from a life a riches to see the world, never once looking back. The girl was just entering a magic shop in a port town when a soft knock yanked me back into reality.

"Lucy?" Fullbuster's voice was muffled by the door. "Dinner's ready, if you're hungry." Dinner? But we'd arrived just after nine in the morning. I glanced out of the window, startled by the long shadows being thrown by the trees.

"I'll be down in a moment!" I called back, stretching my sore muscles. I must have been writing for hours. Closing the notepad and hiding it in a drawer, I continued to stretch as I made my way downstairs.

I hadn't gotten a good look at the first level of the farmhouse when I'd first entered, too preoccupied with escaping up to my room. There was a small foyer that led to the living room on the right and the dining room on the left. If you continued forward, you could go upstairs to the second floor, or continue to the back of the house where the kitchen and a bathroom waited. Through the kitchen, you could either go outside through the back door, or into the dining room.

I wandered quietly into the dining room, shuffling my feet slightly. Normally, I would be the one cooking the food, but it seemed like that had already been completed. Next, I would've set the table, but Fullbuster had that covered, gesturing to an empty chair.

"You can sit here. I can grab you a glass of water to drink, if you want." Wordlessly, I nodded, taking my seat. He disappeared into the kitchen where a few heated words were exchanged before he returned with a glass of ice water. I quietly thanked him before taking a sip.

"Hey Elsa, can you give me a hand real quick?" Dragneel's voice called from the kitchen, causing Fullbuster to sigh heavily.

"Coming, Flame Princess." The two men returned a moment later with a pan and a tray. Spaghetti seemed to be on the menu tonight, served with a side of garlic bread. My mouth watered when the smell hit my nose. It smelled delicious. Fullbuster filled his plate and grabbed a slice of bread before handing the spoon off to me. I stared at it for a moment, reaching out to take it from him tentatively. I served myself a small amount, grabbing a slice of bread as well. Dragneel loaded his plate to capacity, taking at least five slices of bread before beginning to shovel food into his mouth.

"Don't worry, it's edible," Fullbuster assured me, gesturing to my plate. "He may not be the best at housework, but he is one hell of a cook." He took a large bite of his spaghetti as if to emphasize his point. Dragneel grunted, but didn't retaliate.

I spun some pasta onto my fork, subtly sniffing it before placing it in my mouth. Fullbuster wasn't kidding, it was amazing. The pasta had been cooked to the perfect texture; the sauce smooth with a slight kick to it. I savored my first bite before I took another, then another. Before I knew it, my plate was empty. I blushed, setting my fork down and dabbed my mouth with my napkin. Dan had always said that a "classy lady such as myself" should eat slowly and quietly. I was sure I'd done neither of those things. I risked a glance at my companions, but neither man looked disgusted. In fact, Dragneel looked almost smug.

"If you thought that was good, you should try it with the bread. The buttery garlic flavor really compliments the sauce. Here," he scooped me another portion, "have as much as you want!"

"Thank you," I muttered, lifting my fork again. Deciding to give his suggestion a try, I placed a forkful of spaghetti into my mouth before adding a small bite of the bread. Sighing in contentment, I let the smooth, buttery flavor meld with the slightly spicy sauce. Again, before I knew it, my plate was completely clean. I had even grabbed another slice of bread to wipe the excess sauce from it. I small, unladylike burp escaped my lips and I slammed a hand over my mouth, apologizing. Both men just chuckled.

"Her compliments to the chef," Fullbuster quipped, winking at me. A small smile of my own played on my lips.

"It was very good," I complimented Dragneel, giving him a small smile as well. A huge grin split across his face.

"Glad you liked it, Lucy!"

After I finished off my water and the men polished off the rest of the pasta, I raised myself from my seat first.

"I'll take care of the dishes," I offered, gathering my plate and reaching for theirs.

"We can't make you do that!" Dragneel argued. "Leave it for the popsicle. It's his job, anyway." Fullbuster rolled his eyes and reached for my plate. I slid it just out of his reach.

"Detective Fullbuster set the table. You cooked. It's only fair that I pitch in and do the dishes," I reasoned, again reaching for Dragneel's plate. He held my gaze for a moment before shrugging and handing it over.

"Whatever floats your boat. At least let me help you carry them into the kitchen."

Fullbuster excused himself to finish unpacking as Dragneel and I cleared the table. Once all the dishes were on the counter, I grabbed a sponge and began scrubbing. After the first two plates, Dragneel interrupted me.

"You know there's a dishwasher, right?"

I jumped, having forgotten he was still there. Normally, Dan would disappear after dinner to watch the news on TV, leaving me to clean the dishes alone.

"They're cleaner if you wash them by hand," I answered robotically. How many times had Dan told me that? _Don't use the dishwasher, Lulu. They're cleaner if you wash them by hand._ He could always somehow tell when I hadn't. He would scratch at the plates and bowls before demanding that I wash them again—properly this time. I learned that it took less time and energy to just wash them right the first time.

"Huh," he huffed, picking up one of the now clean plates. He examined it for a moment before picking up dish towel and drying it. He set that one aside and picked up another, repeating this. After he picked up the third plate, I turned to him.

"You don't have to do that," I said, reaching for the plate. He held it just out of my reach, arching an eyebrow.

"Do what?" he asked, blank-faced.

"Help," I answered. I reached for the plate again. "I'm sure you have more important things to do. I can handle this."

"Nah," he chuckled, smiling again. "I wanna help. If that's okay," he added, looking a little sheepish. I winced as I remembered my actions earlier.

"That's fine," I allowed, turning back to the sauce pan I'd been scrubbing. After a few seconds of awkward silence, I spoke again. "I'm sorry."

He glanced down at me. "For what?"

I took a deep breath. "For earlier. The…name thing. You didn't mean any harm. It was just a joke." I winced. "I overreacted."

Dragneel stared at me for a long moment with that same look he'd given me in Captain Clive's office. I returned to my sauce pan, scrubbing at the spots where I thought I could still see remnants of its previous contents. Dragneel carefully pulled the pan from my hands and began drying it.

"I made you uncomfortable. It happens." He shrugged. "You don't have to apologize for letting people know when they've crossed a line."

"Yeah, but again, I overreacted. You didn't mean any harm. I should've known that."

"How about this," Dragneel reasoned, "you say you're sorry for snapping at me, and I'll say I'm sorry for hurting your feelings with my joke. Then, we can call it even and watch a movie. How does that sound?" His voice wasn't condescending, as I was expecting. It was sincere. I nodded.

"That sounds good," I relented, smile stretching across my mouth again. He returned it.

"I accept your apology. We cool?" he asked, offering his hand in truce. I took it without hesitation.

"Yeah, we're cool." I squeezed his hand slightly. "Thank you, Detective Dragneel."

"Awesome," his smile widened. "Now, how about that movie? Oh, and call me Natsu. Detective Dragneel makes me feel old." A thought crossed my mind as I followed him into the living room, dishes done.

"How old _are_ you?" I asked. "'Cause you look really young to be a detective. Fullbuster, too." For a moment I was afraid I might have offended him, but he just snorted. He grabbed the remote, sat down on the couch, and turned on the TV, opening the guide.

"Just turned 25," Drag—Natsu answered offhandedly, distracted by the options on the guide. "Freezer Burn is about to turn 26. We're the youngest officers to ever be promoted to detective," he added smugly, a smirk spreading across his face. "You should've seen the looks on their faces when we were. Ooh, _Batman Begins_ is on. Wanna watch that?" He patted the seat next to him, waiting for my verdict.

My knee-jerk response was "Sure, whatever's fine," but something in the way he looked at me stopped me from saying it. It had been so long since I had been asked what I wanted to watch on TV, and I hated Batman. Definitely not my favorite superhero. So I shook my head in the negative, sitting down on the other side of the couch and turning my attention to the guide menu. I scanned the titles, seeing a few I might enjoy, until my eyes stopped on one. A defiant smile crossed my face as I pointed and said, "That one!" Natsu followed my finger, a smile lighting up his own face.

" _Pacific Rim_? You like _Pacific Rim_?" He selected the movie. We were in luck; it had just started.

"Are you kidding? I love this movie. I know it may not objectively be the best movie ever made, but it's one of my favorites. Giant robots fighting giant monsters, badass female leads, and a relationship that can be seen as romantic or platonic? What's not to love?" I felt a blush heat up my face uncomfortably. "Sorry, I just really like this movie…"

"Finally, someone who understands!" I stared at him wide-eyed. "This movie is kickass. And I've finally found someone who'll watch it with me without tearing it apart! Frozone thinks it's _okay_ , but he always points out the bad parts of it." He rested his arm across the back of the couch. "It's nice to meet someone who likes it for what it is: a really badass movie. You're not supposed to take it super seriously. Just shut your brain off and enjoy the carnage."

I smiled at his explanation. Dan hated _Pacific Rim_. Said it was garbage. I hadn't seen it in over a year, mostly because Dan trashed it all the time. Back, before we started dating, I used to watch that movie all the time. Had a long day at work and was in a sour mood? _Pacific Rim_. Frustrated with a chapter of the novel I was perpetually working on, or with a paper for a class? _Pacific Rim_. Argument with my dad? _Pacific Rim_ and a tub of ice cream. I could probably quote that movie by heart. It wasn't the kind of movie you would expect a "lady of class" to enjoy, but hey, I thought it was good.

About ten minutes into the movie, Fullbuster joined us from upstairs.

"Seriously? You're subjecting her to this movie?" he groaned. He turned to me. "You don't have to watch this if you don't want to—"

"Shh," I shushed him, waving my hand frantically. Pentecost had arrived at the Wall to convince Raleigh to pilot Gypsy Danger again.

"She picked it out." I could hear the smirk in Natsu's voice. Fullbuster groaned again.

"No…now there's two of you!"

"Shh!" I hissed more insistently. That line. "Would you rather die here…or in a Jaeger?" I just about fist pumped. I heard a low chuckle beside me.

"Just sit down, shut up, and enjoy the damn movie. Look at how happy it makes her." A long-suffering sigh followed, before Fullbuster slumped into a recliner to my right.

"Fine," he conceded. After a few more minutes of silence, he spoke again. "Do you guys want popcorn?"

"Sure!" we agreed in unison; him cheerful and me almost monotone. I hadn't seen this movie in so long…I was really getting into it.

And that's how the rest of the night played out. Natsu and I quoted the movie while Fullbuster—he'd requested I call him Gray—lamented his bad luck in being assigned to protect the one person who loved this movie as much as Natsu did. We laughed, joked, and got into a popcorn fight. For the first time in a long time, I let myself go. I didn't worry about how my voice sounded or how loud I was being or whether or not I was being too flirty. And it felt amazing. I fell asleep that night feeling lighter than I had in months, a smile still plastered to my face.

* * *

 **All right, guys. Another chapter down! Hope you guys enjoyed my love letter to _Pacific Rim_. In case you couldn't tell, I absolutely love that movie. Also, I wanted to address a review I received. First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to review! I read each and every one, even if I don't respond, and they mean a lot to me. As long as the review is constructive in some way, it will never offend me. Anyway, Dan being a detective was brought up, and I wanted to explain my thought process on that a little bit. I made Dan a detective for a specific reason: because he can use police resources to come after Lucy. A detective would have an easier time disappearing because he already knows every protocol that would be put in place to find him. Not to mention, having the crazy dude that's after you be a cop is super scary. Who do you trust? This will come into play later. I hope that addressed your confusion, and I hope I didn't offend you in turn with my answer. :)**

 **Next order of business: the update schedule. Short answer: I don't have one. Long answer: I want to promise you guys right now that I have absolutely no intention of abandoning this story. I published it, it _will_ get finished (I'm holding myself to that). Unfortunately, I'm a graduate student, which means I'm busy af. Therefore, I can't promise when it will be updated, or how long each chapter will be. My only hope is that you guys stick with me.**

 **Thank you for your continued support, and I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as I can.**


	4. Things That Go Bump in the Night

The next few weeks passed by in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Each morning, I'd drag myself out of bed and slip into the bathroom across the hall. Once I was showered, I would either bump into Natsu in the kitchen or Gray in the dining room, depending on who was home to babysit me. I would give a sleepy greeting before pouring myself a bowl of cereal.

If it was Natsu, he would join me at the table and try and wake me up with conversation. I was never great at small talk, but Natsu was a natural at it. We'd discussed movies, music, books we both enjoyed (he didn't read very often, but there were a few books he liked enough to recommend)…Nothing too personal, but I learned a lot about him. He was an action flick kinda guy. He liked alternative rock music, such as A Day to Remember, All Time Low, and—his personal favorite—Fall Out Boy. We discussed _Harry Potter_ (he was a Gryffindor to my Ravenclaw), _Percy Jackson_ , as well as stand-alone novels. I convinced him to read _The Tail of Desperaux_ , but only if I promised to read _The Hunger Games_. We laughed and joked as I cleaned the dishes, always with his help. Those were my favorite mornings.

Mornings with Gray were enjoyable too, but in a different way. I would greet him in the dining room, where he would have his nose buried in his laptop. We would sit in comfortable silence until I was done, when I would take my bowl and his (he always protested, but I took it anyway) into the kitchen to clean them. I would then either sit in the living room and watch TV, or sit next to him and read. We would sit in companionable silence until Natsu got back, when I would be pulled into a movie marathon or an intense discussion on my opinion on what to cook for dinner.

While Natsu was my distraction, Gray was my constant reminder. At times, I felt like a kindergartener being distracted from her father by the nanny. _Come along, Lucy_ , Natsu seemed to say, _Look at this. Come over this way. Let Daddy work._ I would then shut down, locking myself in my room and writing. It reminded me too much of growing up in that large house, acres of land to roam around but no one to play with. These little depressed spells didn't last long, however, for after a few hours Natsu would appear in my doorway, a new distraction ready to go. We never talked about Dan, or the case, but he would talk to me about himself or—more often—Gray.

Gray, on the other hand, would discuss my relationship with Dan at great length. He would pick apart every minute, little detail I could remember, typing frantically at his laptop. He never really offered any concrete information about himself, but I learned from off-handed comments he made while working that he was kind of seeing a girl named Juvia, he had a brother and sister, and he lived with Natsu. Every time I tried to dive more into his personal story, he would shut me down with another question about Dan, or would ask me to find Natsu if I needed a break.

About three weeks into our stay, I woke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. In the past few weeks, I'd been no stranger to nightmares. Usually, I would wake up, reaffirm my surroundings, double-check the locks in the house, write for a little while, then attempted to fall back asleep. Tonight, however, as I was staring at the ceiling and trying to slow my racing heart, I heard a noise. I froze, holding my breath, waiting to see if I would hear it again. After a few seconds, I released the breath with a sigh. It was just my imagination. Everything was fine. He wasn—

The noise came again. It was a crunching sound, as if someone were walking over the few leaves that had begun to fall from the trees outside. As quietly as I could, I padded over to the window, crouching under it, and trying to look out. My eyes darted back and forth across the side of the house, but with the foliage it was almost pitch black. Just as I was about to give up and go back to bed, something shot across the yard and into the forest. A strangled scream escaped my throat and I skittered back away from the window. A few seconds later, my bedroom door flew open, causing another scream to burst forth.

"Lucy! What's wrong!?" Natsu demanded, normally spiky hair sticking up in all directions. He wore a tight tank top and a pair of basketball shorts, his feet bare. I could just barely make out a red tattoo on his right shoulder, one that looked suspiciously like the one on Gray's chest. His eyes scanned the room, looking for an attacker.

"Natsu," I breathed, trying once again to calm my racing heart. "I thought I saw…" I trailed off, glancing back at the window.

"You thought you saw someone?" he asked tensely. When he said it out loud, it sounded stupid. Of course there wasn't anyone out there. We were in the middle of nowhere. No one but the three of us and Captain Clive knew where we were. He was still staring at me, obviously expecting an answer, so I nodded, refusing to look at him. He swore under his breath, rushing out of my room and tearing open the door to the right.

"Gray, get up! Now!" I was shocked to hear Natsu use Gray's real name. They never called each other by their first names. It was always some insult regarding ice or fire (I still had yet to figure out why) or their last names if they were feeling friendly. Natsu explained the situation to Gray, who swore as well before I heard the sound of sheets shifting and feet pounding across the floor. "Hurry up…and put some damn pants on!"

Natsu crossed my room again, this time entering the door on the left. Not even a moment later, both men were running down the stairs.

"Lucy! Go into the bathroom and lock the door. Don't come out until I come for you!" Natsu called back to me. I ran across the hall, locking the door behind me. Once again squeezing myself between the bathtub and toilet, I hugged my knees and waited. With each passing second, my anxiety increased, causing me to shake violently. I hated how helpless I felt. I hated how stupid I felt due to the possibility of it being a false alarm. I hoped it was a false alarm. I hoped it wasn't. If they found Dan out there tonight, this could all be over. I could go home. But what if he found them first? It was dark. He could be armed. The thought of either Natsu or Gray being hurt because of me knocked the air out of my lungs. It would be all my fault. It felt like hours that I was in that bathroom, waiting for Dan to kick the door down and make good on his final threat.

With every minute that the detectives didn't come back, my worry increased. Then, I heard one of the doors open. Relief flooded through me. They were back. But it was so quiet. Had I heard correctly? I raised myself from my hiding place, walking across the small room slowly. When I reached the door, I placed my ear to it. My hand came to rest on the doorknob, and I had half a mind to unlock the door and meet the men halfway, but something stopped me. Natsu had told me not to come out until he came to get me. He was the professional in this situation. It was probably protocol. Not to mention, he'd probably be super pissed that I hadn't listened to him.

I took my hand off the doorknob and placed it on the door with my other. Softly, I heard footsteps walk around downstairs. They traveled around the first floor, stopping at random intervals. I raised an eyebrow, sucking in a breath to call down to them, when something registered in my mind, cutting me off. There was only _one_ set of footsteps. Whoever was down there was alone. As the footsteps approached the staircase, I covered my mouth and flicked off the light. Sitting there in the dark, I seemed to be able to hear the footsteps so much more clearly. They seemed to stop at the foot of the stairs, and I could practically see Dan standing there. Part of me wanted to put as much space between me and the door as possible, but my feet remained rooted to the spot. Slowly, the footsteps ascended the stairs, making their way up to me. I heard them enter each room on the right, opening doors and pausing at random.

After the steps had walked around the room at the end of the hall (which I'd found out was an office), they walked down the hallway again before stopping in front of the bathroom door. This time I did stumble away from the door, tripping and falling onto my butt but somehow not making a single sound. I scrambled until my back was pressed up against the bathtub and prayed. I prayed to whatever god was listening that Dan would move on. That he wouldn't remember how I'd hid in the bathroom back at the apartment all those weeks ago. That he wouldn't jiggle the knob and discover the bathroom door locked. That he would give up and leave us—all of us—alone. My heart pounded in my chest as a fist pounded on the door. I couldn't completely smother the strangled cry that ripped from my throat, tears running down my cheeks.

"Lucy?" a voice I'd become very familiar with called from the other side of the door. "You can come out now."

I struggled to my feet, ripping open the door and throwing my arms around the man on the other side with a cry of relief. He stumbled back slightly, one arm coming to wrap around my waist to hold me up. I buried my face into his surprisingly scarf-less shoulder, sobbing violently. He tensed up beneath my grip, and I belatedly realized just how inappropriate this was. Just as I loosened my death grip on him, he tightened his.

"It's okay," Natsu cooed, the click of the safety being activated on his gun was almost drowned out by my sobs. "You're safe for now." He slid down to the floor, setting his gun to the side and pulling me into his lap. He rocked us gently, rubbing soothing lines up and down my arm, my head tucked under his chin.

I have no idea how long we stayed like that, but eventually I started to drift off. Somewhere in the haze of exhaustion, I heard Gray return.

"What happened?" he asked, voice concerned and confused.

"I came back to the house to check on her when we split up. After clearing the place, I knocked on the bathroom door and let her know she could come out. She opened the door and she was shaking and sobbing…dude, she was terrified. Like, almost had a heart attack terrified." His grip tightened a little. "I figured best course of action would be to hold her until she calmed down. Then she fell asleep."

"Did you announce yourself when you got back?"

"Are you stupid? What if the guy was in here, hiding? I'd give away my location."

"You idiot! That's probably why she was so scared! She probably thought you were him!" Gray shouted, causing me to flinch.

"Dude, keep your voice down! You're gonna wake her up. She already doesn't sleep enough," Natsu hissed. His last sentence didn't make any sense to me. How did he know I was having trouble sleeping?

"What do you mean?" Gray asked for me. Natsu started rocking me again.

"She gets up in the middle of the night. Walks downstairs for a little bit. Back up to her room. I'm guessing nightmares." Guilt shot through me. As quiet as I thought I'd been, I must have been waking him up at night with my nervous movement. Along with being a ridiculous morning person—I would never understand _how_ he was able to be so damn chipper in the morning—he must be a light sleeper.

"With what she's been through, it doesn't surprise me. Bastard deserves way worse than what he's gonna get for what he did to her," Gray mumbled, voice tight. There was a long pause before Natsu shifted, managing to stand while keeping me in his arms.

"I'm going to get her to bed. Do me a favor and check the locks one more time? I'll double-check her window lock."

"Sure thing. And Flame Brain?" Natsu paused and turned slightly. "Come to my room when you're done. We need to talk."

Natsu placed me in my bed gently, pulling my blankets up to my chin. As the warmth of my little cocoon lulled me even further into dreamland, I could've sworn I felt a warm hand smooth down my hair.

The next morning, I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a train. My eyes were dry and itchy, my throat sore, and my head pounded. Opening my eyes, I was assaulted by too-bright streams of sunlight that seemed to shine directly into them. I turned over and groaned, making it my mission to just stay in bed all day. If only I could've been so lucky.

"Good morning, Starshine! The Earth says 'Hello!'" that annoyingly chipper voice called into my room, making his way over to my bed. "C'mon, sleepyhead! We got things to do today! Places to go, people to see. So get up." He shook my shoulder for good measure, but I shrugged him off, groaning in irritation. This didn't seem to deter him. "All right, let's get you some clothes…"

I burrowed further into my blankets, attempting to tune him out. I barely registered the sound of drawers opening and closing, and the weight of something being thrown on top of me. I was almost sleep again when I heard Natsu mutter, "Why would anyone need so many frilly panties…"

I shot out of bed like a rocket, throwing myself onto his back. "Get the hell out of there!" I shrieked, managing to yank him away and kick my underwear drawer shut at the same time. He grabbed my arm and stumbled back in my chokehold, trying to get a lungful of air. "You filthy pervert!" Following Gajeel's advice, I attempted to kick him in his soft spot, but only made it to his knee.

"Ow! Jesus Christ, Lucy, would you _stop_? I was just trying to—" he was cut off by a well-placed punch to the stomach. He doubled over, catching my hand before I could hit him again. Just as he was about to finish explaining himself, Gray walked in.

"What in the hell are you two doing?" He looked from the clothes on my bed, to our struggling bodies by the dresser, to something in Natsu's hand. Following his gaze, all of the blood rushed from my face before forcefully filling my cheeks again. I stiffened, stepping away from him. Raising an eyebrow, he eyed me warily.

"Are you going to stop me, Gray?" I growled lowly, my eyes never leaving my prey.

"Stop what? I saw nothing. Don't get blood on the rug—it's a bitch to get out." With that, he shrugged and disappeared. Natsu watched him leave, confusion evident on his face.

"What are you—oh _hell_ ," he turned back to me, and I saw the shiver travel down his spine. He shivered in fear, holding his hands up in surrender. Big mistake.

"What," I snarled, taking a step toward him, "do you think you are doing with _that_?"

"With what?" he gulped, following my line of sight to his right hand. All of the color drained from his face. "Lucy, this isn't what it looks like…"

The resulting slap could probably be heard for miles.

An hour later, I was showered, fed, and sitting in the backseat of the car. Natsu was driving this time (he'd picked up a fresh bottle of his motion sickness medication), while Gray sat laughing at him in the passenger seat. A bright red hand print was still visible on his cheek, which Gray was currently relentlessly making fun of.

"Does it still hurt, old buddy?" he choked out between chortles. Natsu's scowl deepened.

"I didn't deserve to get slapped in the face," he muttered darkly, glaring at the road in front of him. One hand was on the steering wheel, the other was propped up on the door, fist under his chin. A pout had formed on his lips, and I had to admit I felt a little guilty. However, not guilty enough to apologize for slapping him for going through my underwear drawer. "I was just trying to help you get ready…didn't deserve to get hit…as bad as Erza…"

This made Gray laugh harder. "Yeah, you tell her that when we see her today."

Natsu blanched. "Are you kidding? I don't have a death wish." He shivered, pure terror flashing across his face.

"So, where exactly are we going?" I asked from the middle seat in the back. I'd discovered that I could hear their conversations better if I sat there. I shifted forward. "I thought we weren't supposed to leave the safe house."

"We're taking you to a meeting with a lawyer, that way you can decide whether or not you want to officially press charges against your ex," Gray explained, finally getting ahold of himself. My stomach twisted painfully at the thought. It hadn't occurred to me that pressing charges was my choice.

"You mean, I don't have to press charges if I don't want to?" I asked, my voice small. Both men grimaced, but nodded. Natsu's grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles white.

"Bastard deserves jail time," Natsu growled, glaring out the windshield. I flinched slightly at his tone. I knew he was right, but something stopped me from agreeing with him. Memories flashed across my vision; candlelit dinners, roses on Valentine's Day, cuddles on cold nights. It hadn't been all bad. My heart lurched when I realized just how much I missed those little moments. How much I longed for them.

Gray took notice of my silence. Punching Natsu in the arm, he turned his dark eyes to me.

"You don't have to decide now. Talk to Erza. Think it over. It's entirely up to you." With that, we all stayed silent for the rest of the ride, each one lost in our own thoughts.

Erza's office was in a building I must have passed a hundred times on my way to and from work. I vaguely remembered entering it once to do an interview. It was a tall building, with big windows that almost made it look like it was entirely made out of glass. We entered into the lobby, heading straight for the elevators. Natsu paused, looking a little green, and said he'd meet us up there. Apparently, you can get sick on elevators, too. Who knew?

Gray rolled his eyes and ushered me in, not even bothering to argue. Natsu disappeared as the doors closed, and I kicked myself for feeling disappointed at the loss. Gray pressed the button for the sixth floor and shifted back to lean against the wall. As the elevator lifted us to our destination, I stared at myself in mirrored walls. My hair was down today, and had seemed to have grown maybe a half an inch or an inch since I'd last payed attention. Anxiety filled me as I stared at it. I'd kept my hair long when I was younger, but Dan preferred it to be shorter. Just passed my shoulders. The bright blonde contrasted rather prettily with my black sweater, and I made a mental note not to wear it out in public again. People were going to notice. Men would notice. I couldn't have that.

Suddenly, the elevator _dinged_ and the doors opened. Gray gave a small smile before he jerked his head toward the open door, a silent _ladies first_ gesture. I smiled back and inclined my head, stepping out into the hallway ahead of him. He brushed passed me and stopped at the last door on the left. A pretty receptionist with long, curly caramel-colored hair greeted us at the desk.

"Ah, Gray. It's good to see you," she said in a sultry voice, glancing at him from over her glasses. "I'm guessing you're Erza's eleven o'clock?"

"That'd be us," Gray confirmed, hands in his pockets. "This is Lucy, her client. Lucy, this is Evergreen."

"It's nice to meet you," I greeted, giving her a smile. She gave me a once-over before smirking.

"Likewise. She'll be with you in a moment, if you want to just head back," Evergreen informed Gray, gesturing to the door behind her. Gray began to move, but I hesitated.

"What about Natsu? He's not here yet," I reminded him, glancing back at the door. Gray looked at me for a long moment before rolling his eyes.

"He's been here before, he'll just meet us in there. Don't know what's taking the idiot so long…"

I cast one more glance at the door before taking a deep breath and following Gray. Little did I know, this would only be the beginning of a very long day.

* * *

 **Man, guys, these chapters just keep getting longer and longer. Originally, this chapter continued, having Lucy meet Erza and all that, but I decided to break it up between this one and the next one. Which means, if things go my way, you guys _might_ get another chapter either tonight or tomorrow. Again, not promising anything, but it might happen.**

 **Get pumped, you guys, because Erza is getting introduced in the next chapter! Along with a few other friendly faces, possibly.**

 **In response to a guest's review, asking if I was going for the feel of "running from the cops, except with help from the cops," my answer is kind...of...? It's more that I'm going for the feeling of "which cops can you trust, and which do you avoid," if that makes sense? Don't worry. Hopefully all will be explained in due time. I'm still sort of nailing down Dan's special brand of Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, so I'm hoping all will be a little more clear as Lucy begins to learn things. In writing this in first person, I'm hoping to keep y'all as much in the dark as she is.**

 **Again, I'd like the give special thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed since my last update, and I'll work hard to get you guys the next chapter ASAP.**


	5. Memories of Days Past

Inside the office, the carpet was white and plush, bouncing beneath our feet as we crossed the room. The walls were covered with awards and degree plaques, informing me that Ms. Erza Scarlet had a Master's degree in Criminal Justice, along with many awards from the mayor. On the massive wooden desk on the far side of the room sat picture frames, filled with frozen moments in the lives of people I didn't know. I scanned the pictures, smiling at the happy faces I saw. There was a picture of a group of teenagers, all smiling and holding onto each other. In one, there was a beautiful woman with long, blood-red hair standing arm-in-arm with a man with blue hair and a red facial tattoo. The man was in a few more of the pictures, both alone and sharing the frame with some of the teenagers, now a little older. A flash of pink caught my attention, and I leaned forward in my chair slightly to get a better look. Upon closer inspection, I recognized Natsu, arm thrown around the shoulders of a small woman with short, almost white hair. After a moment, I realized it was Mirajane's younger sister, Lisanna. I had no idea they knew each other. Before I could inspect the picture any further, however, the door swung open and in walked the red-haired woman in a white blouse and blue pencil skirt. Her eyes warmed at the sight of Gray.

"Good afternoon, Erza," he greeted her, rising in his seat to offer her his hand to shake.

"Gray, it's always nice to see you," she responded. She pulled him into a rather violent hug, knocking the wind out of him. After a moment, he returned it, wheezing subtly. She glanced around the room. "Where's Natsu? I thought he was supposed to be with you." Her eyes darkened. "You boys haven't been fighting again, have you?"

Gray went pale. "Of course not! We're the best of friends. Why would we ever fight?" he squeaked, rubbing the back of his head anxiously. "You know how he gets…he took the stairs. Should be here any second. In the meantime—"

Gray was cut off by the door slamming open.

"Way to wait for me, asshole," Natsu grumbled, he took a threatening step toward Gray before he noticed the other man's frantic eye movements. Turning in the indicated direction, all of the color drained from his face, and he nearly choked. "And I mean that in the most affectionate way possible." He and Gray slung an arm over each other's shoulders, clasping their hands in front of them in a firm, friendly handshake. The nervous smiles on their lips proved to be too much for me, and a giggle bubbled up past my own.

"And who have we here?" Ms. Scarlet questioned, turning to me. Normally I don't have an issue with other women, but damn was she intimidating. I gulped, extending my hand out to hers.

"My name is Lucy, ma'am," I introduced myself meekly. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Lucy Heartfilia." I winced at my last name. I didn't use it very often. At this, her eyes widened in recognition, then softened.

"Ah yes, Gildarts called. We have an appointment. Can I get you anything, Miss Heartfilia? Tea? Coffee?"

"Ah, just Lucy is fine. And no, thank you, I'm quite all right." The detectives stared at me as if I'd grown a second head, and I flushed self-consciously. Whenever anyone spoke to me in a professional way, years of high-class upbringing kicked right back in. I couldn't help it. Ms. Scarlet didn't seem to notice, however. She simply moved on, offering Natsu and Gray the other seat. After a short eye war, Gray sat down, indicating he had won. Natsu settled for sitting on the armrest of my chair, crossing his arms petulantly. Again, I had to stifle a giggle.

"Well, I suppose we should get started. My name is Erza Scarlet, and I am the District Attorney for the Magnolia Police Department. In the event that you choose to press charges against Detective Straight, I will be representing you." Ms. Scarlet reached into a drawer in her desk and withdrew a stack of paperwork. It had to be at least an inch thick, and I felt my throat begin to constrict. Press charges? Everyone expected me to press charges, but is that what I wanted? Once again, fond memories flitted across my mind and my heart ached. Other than that one incident, he had treated me well. Did I really want to ruin his career—his _life_ —over one mistake? He swore it would never happen again. He had promised. Maybe that's all I needed—

A warm hand in mine yanked me from my spiraling thoughts. My face jerked up and I locked eyes with Natsu, who was watching me carefully. It was that same look again—the one that he always seemed to have when I started to panic. Before they made me uncomfortable; it felt like he was seeing too much. Like he could see past the carefully constructed mask I put on every morning. Now, it grounded me. His eyes seemed to be telling me that he knew that I wasn't nearly as composed as I looked, but _that's okay._ Keeping my gaze locked on his, I took several deep breaths before I finally broke eye contact.

"Ms. Scarlet, may I ask a question?" I began, careful to keep my voice even. Her gaze seemed to pierce mine; wary, but that was a comfort to me. I was tired of being treated like I might break.

"Of course. And please, call me Erza. It's only fair." She threw me a teasing smile that relaxed me a little more.

"In the event that I _don't_ press charges," Natsu's hand tightened around mine, "what would happen?"

"I'm not sure I completely understand. What do you mean, 'what would happen?'" Erza countered, confusion pulling her eyebrows together.

"What would happen to me and Dan?" I clarified. "Would he still be punished at work? Would we move back in together? Would I be forced to move out?" With each question, my heart sped up a little more. I squeezed Natsu's hand, attempting to calm my racing heart, and took more deep breaths. "I know that pressing charges would be the right thing to do—"

"Lucy, let me stop you there," Erza cut me off, lifting her hand for silence. "I can't tell you what the 'right' or 'wrong' thing to do in this situation would be, because there is no 'right or wrong thing'." I opened my mouth to argue, but the glare she sent me kept me silent. "Many people will try and tell you what you 'should' do, but let me let you in on a little secret: the only one who can decide what you should do is you. I know that's not what you want to hear, but I think it's what you _need_ to hear. Don't think about what Gray thinks you should do, or what Natsu thinks you should do, or even what _I_ think you should do. What I want you to do right now is close your eyes and focus on you. What do _you_ think you should do, Lucy?"

Taking her advice, I slipped my hand from Natsu's and closed my eyes, drowning out everyone else. I didn't think about Natsu and his righteous anger. I didn't think about Gray and his cool temper. I didn't think about Gajeel, and how he must be blaming himself for this whole situation. I didn't even think about Dan and what _he_ would tell me to do. I thought back to the day Dan and I first met, in that bookstore on that rainy day in May.

It had been warm earlier, so I was in jean shorts and a pink tank top. My long hair had been pulled back into a high ponytail, swishing back and forth across my back when I walked. My flip flops had slapped noisily as I'd perused the stacks, searching for my next great adventure. As I'd reached for a particular book that had caught my eye, another hand bumped into mine. I'd pulled my hand back and glanced to the owner of the other one, apology falling from my lips. An attractive brunette man had smiled back. He was obviously a little older than me, and when he'd complimented me on my taste in books I'd blushed lightly, giving him a flirty giggle. I'd been so much more confident back then. After I'd payed for my book, he'd asked me out to dinner, which I had almost hastily accepted.

I opened my eyes and glanced to the side, catching a glimpse of myself in the large, round mirror on Erza's wall. A few years ago, around this time of year, I would've been walking around in a v-neck t-shirt and skinny jeans. Now, I hid my curves—a body I used to take pride in—beneath dark colored turtlenecks and baggy dark wash jeans. I used to insist on wearing flip flops until it began to snow, painting my toenails a new color every week. "Sun's out, toes out," my friend Michelle, a fellow model, used to joke. When was the last time I'd seen her, much less _spoken_ to her? When was the last time I'd engaged in friendly conversation with _any_ of my coworkers? I had to close my eyes again and think hard. I'd spoken to Mira a few weeks ago…but that had been for work. When she'd tried to convince me to join her and her sister for dinner, I had declined. Dan didn't like it when I went out. He got lonely if I wasn't there. Plus, there was a small chance that their brother might join as well, and while he was a very nice man—I enjoyed his company greatly—Dan would be _furious_ if—

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, knocking the air out of my lungs. How long had I been avoiding speaking to other men? How long had I been dressing in a way that hid my body from the world? Tears filled my eyes when I realized I couldn't remember the last time I'd spoken to my own _father_. We'd begun to reconcile right before I'd met Dan; both of us had made an effort to meet each other halfway. Snapping my head away from the mirror, I did my best to hide my tears. Dan had always said that crying was a weakness…

God, he was everywhere. He was in every little thing that I did. I looked down at my hands, gripping the ends of my sleeves for dear life. After what felt like hours, I met Erza's carefully blank gaze. I knew what I had to do. It had to stop. In that moment, I realized just how much I missed the girl I used to be. The one who was proud of her body and her writing, who swore that she would finish her first novel before she was thirty, the one who wasn't afraid to put any man who thought he could lay a hand on her back in his place. My decision seemed to lift a large weight off my shoulders; one I hadn't even realized I'd been carrying. My eyes filled with determination as I gave my final verdict.

"I'd like to press charges."

Two hours later, I was beginning to feel like I may have made a mistake. Erza walked us to the elevator, one arm around Natsu, the other around Gray. She spoke to them cheerfully, reminding them that they were always welcome at her house and not to fight.

"It was very nice to meet you, Lucy," Erza said warmly, clasping her hand in mine. I winced at her tight grip.

"Listen, Erza, maybe pressing charges isn't such a good idea…" I began, my palms starting to sweat. Maybe we could just go back into her office and undo the whole thing. How could I do that to Dan? This would ruin him. I took a step back in the direction of Erza's office, only to be stopped by three pairs of strong hands.

"Oh no, you don't," Gray mumbled, hands pulling me backward toward the elevator by my shoulders.

"What's done is done," Natsu continued, chaining me to the spot by the forearms, also from behind.

"I know this is hard for you," Erza reasoned, "but you need to hold firm in your decision." She had grabbed my other hand, holding them both tightly in her own. This time the pressure was surprisingly comforting.

I took a deep breath, holding it for a moment, and steeled my resolve. After a long moment, I nodded, though my face betrayed my hesitation. I tried to give all three of them a smile, but it didn't reach my eyes. Natsu looked at me for a moment before he ruffled my hair roughly.

"We should probably head out," he said, taking a distracted step into the elevator. Gray and I followed, throwing waves at Erza as the doors closed. It wasn't until the elevator jerked into motion that the realization that he'd messed up dawned on Natsu's face.

After what seemed like the longest elevator ride in history, the three of us stumbled out of the building and onto the street. Natsu immediately broke off from the two of us.

"Hey, Lava Breath! Where are you going?" Gray called after him. Natsu waved a hand over his shoulder.

"Gotta go check on Happy! I'll meet up with you guys later!"

I raised an eyebrow at Gray, but he only shook his head, muttering something about "crazy cat people." He smiled down at me.

"He's fine. Are you hungry? There's a great bar a few streets over that has amazing stew."

I opened my mouth to agree when my stomach growled, answering for me. Blushing, I looked toward the ground as he laughed.

"C'mon, my treat."

I gasped when we stopped in front of a familiar building. Before I could voice my surprise at his choice, he ushered me inside. He called out a name a knew well, pulling me over to the bar. We didn't make it that far.

"Lucy! Thank goodness you're okay! We've been so worried!" Mira exclaimed, meeting us halfway and pulling me into a surprisingly strong hug. It caught me off-guard every time. Jesus, does she even lift?

"Yeah, I'm alive. I won't be for much longer if you don't stop _crushing me_ …" I gasped good naturedly, patting her arm. With a squeak, she let me go.

"Sorry! So, where have you been?" she demanded, giving me a look. I opened my mouth, but Gray cut me off.

"She can't tell you that, Mira. She's been in protective custody." Mira raised an eyebrow in confusion before understanding seeped into her face. Her expression darkened to one that screamed of contemplated murder.

"So he finally did something…" she hissed, wrapping her arms around me protectively. "Lucy, I'm sorry. I should've insisted you come to dinner the last time I saw you…"

"It's fine," I reassured her, hesitantly circling my arms around her, too. Mira shook her head.

"No it's not. But we're not going to dwell on that now. Are you guys hungry? I'll make you something." With that, she disappeared into the kitchen in a flurry of platinum blonde hair, waving hands, and fluttering skirts. Gray turned his attention over to me.

"I didn't know you guys knew each other," he said, a question lacing his tone. I shrugged.

"I'm a journalist for _Sorcerer Weekly_ ," I reminded him. "I interviewed her a few times." I paused before adding, "I also used to model for them. Mira and I did a few shoots together."

His eyes widened. "You're a model?" I grimaced. "Wait, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. You're definitely pretty enough to be one. You just never struck me as the modelling type. I just don't see you as the kind of person who would be comfortable in front of the camera."

A melancholic smile stretched across my lips. "Maybe not now, but I used to be." Memories swirled through my mind, bringing me back to happier times. I must have been reminiscing for longer than I thought, because next thing I knew Mira was dropping two bowls of stew in front of us. I smiled in anticipation.

Just as I was settling into my meal, Natsu burst through the front doors.

"Hello, everyone!" he called. "I'm back! Oh, and Ice Princess is here, too," he said quieter, as if this sentence was an afterthought. The other regulars in the bar chuckled at his antics, greeting him happily. I looked questioningly to Gray, who only shook his head.

"Fairy Tail is a cop bar. Natsu and I have been coming here for years. He feels the need to announce his presence everything time we come here. It's embarrassing." Gray rolled his eyes as Natsu started to make his way over to us. Just before he reached our table, a voice stopped him.

"Natsu!" a woman called, running from the kitchen right into his arms. He laughed as he swung her around.

"Lisanna!" he cheered back dramatically, causing her to laugh. When he put her down, she slapped his arm.

"You've been gone too long! Where on Earth have you been this time?" she chided, though the smile never left her lips. He didn't seem bashful in the slightest. Instead, he leaned toward her conspiratorially, raising a hand to the side of his mouth.

"Actually, I'm on a super secret mission. If I told you the details, I'd have to kill ya," he stage whispered, causing the youngest Strauss to break out into a fit of giggles.

"Is that so? Why do I find that hard to believe?"

Watching their exchange, I felt a twinge of guilt in my heart. It had never occurred to me that Natsu might have a girlfriend. A girlfriend I was keeping him from. Something else weighed down my heart slightly as well, a jab of disappointment, but I ignored it. Why should I feel disappointed just because I found out he was dating someone? I wasn't exactly in the market at the moment.

"Actually, Lisanna, he's telling the truth. We're on the job right now," Gray informed the woman, catching all of our attention. He gestured to me. "We're in charge of protecting her."

Lisanna's eyes met mine for the first time since she arrived. They widened as she recognized me.

"Lucy…? What…?" Her blue eyes hardened, much like her sister's had. "What did he—no. That's not any of my business. Whatever happened, Lucy, I'm sorry. But I can promise you that you are in good hands." She smiled wryly. "Even if it may not seem like it sometimes."

I returned the smile. "Thank you, Lisanna. So far, they've kept me pretty safe." I gave both men a warm smile, maybe lingering on Natsu's face a little longer than necessary. Then I remembered that Lisanna was his girlfriend, and my smile faded. He smiled back at me in confusion before turning back to her.

"I don't understand. You guys know each other?"

She glanced at Natsu, waving her hand frantically. "Never mind that. If you guys are 'on the job,' I guess that means I can't steal you for wedding planning," Lisanna complained, sighing. Natsu perked up. Another stab hit my chest. He didn't have a girlfriend, he had a _fiancée_. I ducked my head.

"Hey, no one ever said that! What do you need help with?" Natsu prodded, sitting down and gesturing for her to sit next to him. I watched silently.

"What could Flame Breath possibly help with?" Gray interrupted. "Shouldn't Bixlow be the one helping with the planning?"

"Oh, he is," Lisanna stated, waving her hand dismissively. "But he can't help me with this one." She pulled out her phone. "I've been looking at wedding dresses, and I wanted a second opinion on styles." She turned her attention back to Natsu. "I was thinking of going for a full ball gown, but I wasn't completely sold."

Natsu scrunched up his nose as he looked at the picture. "Nah, too much floof." He swiped his finger across her phone a few times. Finding something that pleased him, he grinned. "Now _this one_ …"

Lisanna looked at the picture and flushed slightly, shooting him a look. "A slinky dress? You think I should get married in a slinky dress?" He took a look at her face and chuckled.

"Yes, I do. You're a beautiful woman, Lisanna, and I know you know it. Nothing wrong with flauntin' what you're proud of," he finished, smirking at her. I rolled my eyes, though I stayed quiet. Of course he would want her to get married in a slinky dress. What confused me was why she was looking at dresses with him at all. Wasn't it bad luck for the groom to see the dress before the wedding?

Lisanna chewed her bottom lip. "I don't know... Won't my scar show in a dress like this?" She turned her head slightly, as if trying to see the picture from a different angle.

"Probably," Natsu answered, "but I don't think he's gonna care." I shot up face up to look at him.

"Yeah, you're right…" Lisanna trailed off, smiling fondly. "I'll compare your choice with Mira's and let you know what I decide. Thanks, Natsu!" She kissed his cheek, said goodbye to me and Gray, and disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Hey, I'm gonna run to the restroom, and then we need to head back," Gray informed us, getting up from the table as well. Natsu and I were left in silence. I swallowed the lump building up in my throat.

"She's nice," I commented, then berated myself. Why was my voice cracking? He was just my friend, at best. It's not like I _liked_ him or anything…

"Who, Lisanna? Yeah, she's pretty cool," he agreed breezily, casting a smile in the direction she'd left from.

"So, when's the wedding?" Why was I asking all of this? I wasn't supposed to care. I didn't care. Natsu glanced over at me. If he thought my question was inappropriate, he didn't comment.

"Next year. She's really freaking out because she wants it to be _perfect_." He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "If she let her fiancé help with the plans a little, maybe she wouldn't be so stressed," he joked wryly, shaking his head at me again. My heart clenched. I was keeping him from wedding plans. I knew he was doing his job, but it didn't make me feel any better.

"You guys are really cute together," I said, casting a small smile down at the table. "I'm sorry that I'm keeping you from helping her with the wedding." After a few minutes of silence, I chanced a look at him, only to be met with a blank look.

"Huh?" he questioned, looking completely and utterly confused. My face flushed.

"You said that she wouldn't be so stressed out if she let her fiancé help her with wedding plans. If you weren't busy babysitting me, maybe she would be more comfortable letting you help." His confused look persisted. "You know, because you guys are getting married…?"

With that, laughter bubbled up from inside him. His deep, belly laughs only served to heighten my embarrassment, and I scowled.

"What on Earth is so funny?"

"You!" he answered, doubling over. "You…you thought…me and Lisanna…!" He was gasping for air at this point. As Gray returned to the table, I slammed my napkin down and raised myself from my seat.

"What is going on here?" Gray questioned, looking from Natsu's doubled over form to my offended face.

"She…she thought…" Natsu tried to explain, coughing from laughing so much. Taking a deep breath, he wiped tears from his eyes as he turned to Gray. "She thought I was getting married to Lisanna."

At this, Gray began laughing as well. Now I was fed up.

"What is so funny about that?" I demanded. I glared at the two men.

"You think _Natsu_ is getting married! To _Lisanna!_ " Gray choked out between laughs. Now he was wiping tears away. "Oh god, that's funny. She could do so much better!"

My face flushed angrily. "I fail to see what is so funny." I replied heatedly. "She's a sweet woman, and he's a rather attractive man." Natsu stopped laughing at that comment, pink decorating his cheeks. I ignored him. "It doesn't seem like such a ridiculous concept to me that he might be getting married to someone. Any woman you be _lucky_ —"

"Woah, woah! Calm down, Lucy. You don't have to go that far…" Gray stopped me, putting his hands up in surrender. Natsu was staring at me in awe at this point, his mouth hanging open. Only then did I realize that the entire bar had fallen silent.

"Oh my…" Mira cooed from behind the bar, Lisanna now joining her. The red color of my face deepened when I realized they were whispering together, glancing between me and Natsu. I opened my mouth to retract my statement, but was stopped by Natsu reaching out and grabbing my wrist.

"We gotta go," he mumbled, dragging me along behind him. "C'mon, Stripper. By everyone!" he called to the other patrons, waving his free hand as he walked out. My heart clenched. I went too far. I'd upset him. I hadn't meant to make him angry. I was just so flustered by his reaction to my assumption, then I was second-hand offended _for_ him when Gray insulted him. When we got back to the car, I began to apologize, but he put his hand up for silence.

"Thank you for defendin' me in there," he muttered, obviously embarrassed, himself.

"No problem," I answered. "I didn't say anything that wasn't true…" We both looked away from each other at that.

"Ready to go, guys?" Gray asked loudly, causing us both to jump. We'd forgotten he was there. As we both yelped out agreement and climbed into the car, Gray grabbed Natsu's arm. There was a silent exchange, ending with Natsu looking away first. Gray nodded to himself, dominance achieved, and slid into the driver's seat. Natsu popped a pill into his mouth, and we were on the road again.

The drive back to the safe house started out quiet, save for the radio. After about twenty minutes, most of which was spent trying to avoid Natsu's eyes as he glanced back into the backseat at me, he finally spoke up.

"Look, I didn't mean to offend you," he began hesitantly. Gray didn't respond, so I assumed he was talking to me. "It's just…the idea of me getting married to Lisanna was too funny."

I silently raised an eyebrow at him and he gulped.

"Me and Lisanna grew up together," he informed me, looking out the window. "She had a crush on me when we were kids, and asked me out in high school. It didn't work out." He chuckled. "It was super weird…like dating my sister. Anyway, she got into a pretty bad accident. After that, we broke it off. We decided we were better off as friends."

My eyes widened slightly. He spoke with such maturity, I almost believed I was speaking to a completely different person than I had known for the past three weeks. When he pranced around like an adult child most of the time, it was easy to forget that he was just that—an adult.

"Gray had a point." Natsu caught my eye. "She could do way better than me. And she did. Bixlow, her actual fiancé, is a pretty cool guy. I approve." He stuck his nose up into the air in pride, causing Gray to chuckle quietly beside him.

"Like you really had a say in the matter, Eggplant," he teased lightly.

"True that," Natsu agreed. "Lisanna would've agreed to marry him no matter what I said. He's just lucky I like him. If I didn't, I have ways of making his life hell." He gave an evil laugh. Gray nodded, lifting his fist, which Natsu bumped with his own.

The scene warmed my heart, reminding me that these two truly were close friends, no matter how much they fought. The previous tension dissipated as they spent the rest of the car ride telling me stories about growing up with Lisanna. Apparently, she was a mom friend, much like Erza. Unlike Erza, however, she hadn't been nearly as violent. I was laughing at a story Natsu was telling about how Lisanna had proposed to him when they were ten, when the car suddenly jerked to a stop. Both Natsu and I braced ourselves, Natsu swearing softly.

"Are you okay?" he asked me. I nodded and he turned his attention to Gray. "What the hell, Ice Pick?"

Gray held up his hand, eyes glued to the house. He pulled out his gun, addressing Natsu without looking at him.

"Stay here. Something's wrong." With that, he silently slipped out of the car. I watched in confusion as Gray walked around to the back of the house, his gun held at the ready in his hand. Natsu must have seen whatever it was that Gray had, because he reached over and locked the doors, drawing his own weapon.

"What-?" I spoke, only for Natsu to hold up a hand for silence. Clamping my mouth shut, I followed his gaze to the front door. A gasp escaped my throat, a painful jolt punching me in the stomach. I now understood why the detectives had reacted the way they had.

The front door to the safe house was slightly ajar.

* * *

 **So, I totally lied to you guys. This chapter sat, half written, on my computer for like, 3 days. I really did mean to finish it and submit it the next day, but then I was having trouble figuring out how I wanted certain scenes to go... Ah well, I'm only like, a week late. This is what I mean when I say I don't have an update schedule. Moving on.**

 **So, I've introduced Erza and Lisanna! I'm really happy about the scene in Erza's office. I can't really explain it...I just love the way it turned out.**

 **The scene with Lisanna, however, I wrote like, three different ways. All had the same outcome: Lucy thought Lisanna and Natsu were together, Natsu thought this was ridiculous. I just wasn't 100% sure how I wanted to write it. I'm fairly content with how it turned out, so I think I'm gonna leave it.**

 **I have to say, I'm not a NaLi shipper. However, that doesn't mean I don't like Lisanna. I have 0 issues with her in canon, and like the idea that her and Natsu are super chill. Like, he's gonna be part of the bridal procession at her wedding. He's super excited.**

 **Also, I can't explain _why_ I like the Bixanna ship so much. They have like, no contact in canon. But the fanart for them is just so frickin adorable...I jumped on board. I just want her to be happy, okay?**

 **That's about all I have for this chapter. Someone has broken into the safe house! Who could it possibly be? What will happen next? I guess you'll see next chapter.**

 **On that note, I'd like to give a special thanks to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed since the last update. Your encouragement goes a long way, and definitely gives me the motivation to keep writing. Your comments never fail to bring a smile to my face. Thanks for your continued support, and I'll work to get the next chapter out soon.**

 **EDIT: So, I was going through the chapter and realized I messed up Erza's job title. She's the DISTRICT attorney for the MPD, not the DEFENSE attorney.**

 **Also, I was totally gonna explain why Gray called Natsu Eggplant and forgot. So, I'm currently in a Japanese language class. We're learning Hiragana, and my Sensei taught us the characters for "summer," which all of you probably already know is romanized and pronounced "na-tsu." (Yes, when she taught us this, someone in my class murmured "I'm all fired up!" We're college students. I am unashamed that I chuckled.) Anyway, our class has been learning the difference between "su" and "tsu" in terms of pronunciation, and one guy said "nasu" instead of "natsu." To which Sensei informed us that "nasu" means "eggplant." The moment I heard that, I couldn't get the image of Gray picking on Natsu by calling him "Nasu" out of my head. Did I add in a joke that probably only I was gonna understand? You bet your sweet bippy I did. Am I sorry for being language trash? Nope, not in the slightest.**


	6. Dancing Away With My Heart

My blood ran cold.

I'd like to say, when I noticed the open door, I did something heroic or badass, like throw open the car door and go looking for him myself. I'd like to say that I stomped into the safe house and found him there waiting for me, so I lunged for him and took him down. I'd like to say that after he was arrested, I never thought about him again. I'd like to say all of those things.

But none of them would be true.

In all honesty, when I noticed the open door, I froze. My heart began to beat painfully in my chest; not quickly, really, just painfully hard. Every beat, every pump of my blood, felt like a punch right to my sternum. When I realized I wasn't breathing, I began to take in large gulps of air. Slowly. In. Out. In. Out. Over and over again. Oddly enough, no matter how much air I took in, I didn't seem to be getting any air. I took even deeper breaths. Still nothing. My hands began to tingle from lack of oxygen, and my legs began to shake. Once my legs started, the rest of my followed. I unbuckled myself from the middle seat and slid over to the window seat, trying to put as much distance between me and the danger. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I clamped my hands over my ears. In. Out. In. Out. Why wasn't it working? There was nothing in my throat. Why couldn't I breathe?

It wasn't until I felt a hand on my knee that I realized Natsu had been calling my name. My face snapped up to look at him, taking in his concerned facial expression. His slanted eyes—different from Gray's, who's seemed to droop in boredom—watched me carefully. He was saying something to me, but I couldn't hear him over the ringing. When had the ringing started? I just needed more air. That was all. I told him that, and he responded, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. Something about laying down? Putting my feet up? I would if I could feel my legs. In. Out. In. Out. My eyes went back to the house. Gray hadn't come back yet. Why hadn't Gray come back yet? How long had he been gone? I tried to ask Natsu, but my lips were numb. How did they work again?

Suddenly, my view of the house was obstructed by tan skin, pink hair, hazel eyes, white scarf. Natsu. He had crawled into the backseat. Wasn't he supposed to be watching for Dan? I saw more than felt his hands come up to caress my cheeks, his thumbs swiping under my eyes. Was I crying? When had I started crying? His face got closer and closer until I went cross-eyed, staring at his nose. Soft pressure was applied to my forehead, but I felt no need to recoil.

"Close your eyes," he murmured, closing his own. I tried to argue—if I closed my eyes, how could I see the danger?—but he shushed me. He took deep, even breaths that fanned across my face. Slowly, I slipped into darkness.

Without my sight, my heart began to pound even harder, knocking the air out of me. My breathing sped up to an unsteady tempo that I couldn't understand. My stomach coiled like a spring.

"Breathe with me, Luce," Natsu instructed, keeping his breathing even. "In, one, two three. Out, one, two, three."

Focusing on the pressure of his forehead against mine and the warmth his hands provided on my face, I followed his rhythm. In. One, two, three. Out. One, two, three. After a few repetitions, my heartrate began to slow. Each beat no longer felt like a jackhammer ramming into my body. The ringing in my ears stopped. The tingling in my limbs and face faded away. Slowly, muscles that I had no idea had tensed up began to relax. The uncomfortable coil in my stomach, however, remained.

"That's good, just like that," Natsu encouraged, his hands leaving my face to grab hold of mine. His forehead left mine as well. "How are you feeling?"

"Shaky," I replied, my voice practically vibrating. Ah, so _that's_ where my lips were. I had lost them for a moment. "Light-headed."

"Okay, keep breathing. Here, look. Gray's back."

I opened my eyes, looking past Natsu to see Gray making his way back over to the car. He looked frustrated, which I didn't take as a good sign. Natsu leaned over and unlocked the doors. Gray pulled open the back door obstructing his way.

"He isn't here now, but he was. Destroyed the place," Gray growled, running a hand through his hair. His gaze met Natsu's. "Safe house has been compromised. I'll call Gildarts. CSU is probably gonna wanna take a look around before we touch anything." He slammed the door shut and I jumped, yanking my hands out of Natsu's. He glanced back at me, but was distracted when Gray threw open the driver's door and climbed in. "Buckle up. We need to get back to HQ. Now."

Tensing, Natsu slid away from me to the other side of the backseat, yanking the seatbelt across his lap to buckle it. I followed suit, keeping my eyes on him. Gone was his calm demeanor. He was the one shaking now, looking back at the house as Gray quickly reversed.

"Are you sure he's not there?" he asked, his voice low. Gray shot him a look through the rearview mirror.

"Of course. I cleared the entire house." He returned his eyes to the road, his knuckles white from clenching the steering wheel. He took a deep breath, relaxing his face into one of indifference.

"Go back," Natsu demanded. "I'll take a look around this time. Maybe I can pick up a trail for us to follow. We could find the bastard now."

My heart sped up again. We could find him? What happens when we do?

"We need to inform Gildarts of the situation," Gray persisted, pulling out his phone and dialing and selecting a contact.

"We're wasting time!" Natsu argued, throwing his hands up. "If we wait, the trail could go cold. He could get away!"

Gray ignored him as he spoke into the phone, relaying the events of the past forty-five—that couldn't be right. I checked the clock again—minutes in an almost monotone voice. Natsu tensed, unhappy that he was being ignored.

" _Gray—_ "

"Think about who's here with us!" Gray shouted back, pulling the phone away from his ear. "We can't just go barreling after the bad guy this time. We're not alone this time!" He gave me a pointed look. "Our main priority is Lucy's safety. What were we supposed to do, drag her along with us?"

Natsu bristled. "She'd be fine, as long as she stayed close to one of us. I could've picked up a trail, then you could've dropped her off while I followed it—"

"And leave you to go after a deranged psychopath without any back up?" Gray retorted, glaring at Natsu through the rearview mirror again. The phone in his hand had been long-forgotten. "We can't be the ones to take down every bad guy—"

"That's our _job_ , Gray! Taking down the bad guys! Getting them off the street! Making sure they don't hurt innocent people like Lucy ever again!" Natsu was leaning forward now, grabbing the driver's seat and craning himself to get a look at Gray. Suddenly, Gray veered to the side of the road, slamming on the brakes and violently jamming the gear shift into park.

"Our _job_ , Natsu," Gray stated, his voice rumbling low in his chest, "is to keep Lucy safe while we provide Gildarts information for him to follow up on. _She_ is our first priority." He took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling. "Look, I know that you want the fucker behind bars. Believe me, I want the same thing. But right now, we need to figure out what's most important. Tell me, what's more important: Lucy or following clues that might not lead anywhere?"

"Lucy," Natsu said without hesitation. I felt my face heat up. He'd said it with such conviction…Focus, Lucy. Now's not the time to be twittering like a love-sick schoolgirl.

Gray paused for a moment, his eyes remaining trained onto Natsu's. Finally, he sighed. "Right. Now, we need to get her to the station, where she'll be better protected." He turned back around in his seat, putting the car back into drive and merging into traffic.

I stole a glance over at Natsu. While he seemed to have cooled down, he was obviously still agitated. He met my gaze, an intense look in his eyes that I couldn't read. Taking a steadying breath of his own, he turned to glare out the window.

The rest of the ride to the station was completely quiet. Gray didn't even turn on the radio to drown out the loud, tense silence. I leaned my head against the window, letting the cool glass sooth the pounding that was building in my head. All of this was my fault. Natsu and Gray were unable to actually _do_ anything because they were stuck babysitting me. If I hadn't have called Gajeel that night, none of this would've happened. The two detectives would be out on their next adventure, following leads and catching bad guys. If I had just rejected Gajeel's offer for a ride home. If I had just told Jason that I couldn't stay late to talk about my article. If I had just said no to dinner that rainy day in May. If I had just done that, none of this would be happening now.

A hand on my shoulder ripped me from my spiraling thoughts.

"Luce? We're here," Natsu informed me, taking his hand away. I looked around in confusion. When had we gotten to the precinct? Rubbing my itching eyes, I realized I must have fallen asleep. Clumsily, I dragged myself out of the car and into the station, where I came face-to-face with two angry, red eyes.

"Are you okay?" Gajeel ground out, his eyes traveling over my body, checking for fatal injuries. I yawned.

"Hey, Gajeel."

"Were you hurt? I heard that asshole—" I flinched "—was at the safe house today." Gajeel rounded on Natsu and Gray. "You two were supposed to keep her safe. He found his way to the safe house."

"That we weren't even at, at the time," Natsu cut him off, crossing his arms. "We were in the city when it happened."

Gajeel visibly relaxed. This time when he turned to me, he looked a little less grumpy. "How have you been, Blondie? It's been a while."

I gave him a warm smile. "Pretty good. Watched a lot of movies. Got some writing done. Learned how to cook a few new dishes. What's new with you?"

Gajeel stiffened. Obviously, nothing he was super ecstatic about. He opened his mouth—whether to explain or change the subject, I would never know—only to be interrupted by the booming voice of Captain Clive.

"Fullbuster, Dragneel. My office. Now. Miss Heartfilia, if you wouldn't mind joining them?" his voice lowered as he addressed me. The detectives exchanged a look before making their way into his office, heads slumped slightly. I followed behind them, casting one last look at Gajeel before the door shut. The Captain gestured to the seats in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat."

Giving each other a confused look, Natsu and Gray both moved to claim each of the chairs.

"Not you two!" Clive groaned, waving them off. "I was offering for Miss Heartfilia." He returned his gaze to me, his eyes softening. "Please, have a seat."

I shot the detectives a smug look as I sat down. Gray shot me a dirty look back. Natsu may or may not have stuck his tongue out at me. Discretely, I returned the favor.

"Now, I need you to tell me exactly what happened today. Everything that you remember."

The next half an hour was spent recounting the entire day. I checked out of the conversation after a few minutes. I already knew all of this. I examined Captain Clive's desk for a second time. It was still an absolute mess—seriously, would it kill him to keep his paperwork organized?—and there was a new picture. It was of Clive and the brunette woman from the first picture. They were sitting at a bar, both their drinks raised. Clive had his arm around the woman, who tried to look disgruntled. The more I studied her face, though, the more happiness I could see. Her mouth may have been screwed up into a scowl, but her blue eyes were warm as she gazed at the captain. I was just beginning to wonder about their relationship (was she his niece? Captain Clive wasn't wearing a wedding ring) when Gray broke me out of my reverie.

"When we returned to the safe house, I immediately noticed that the front door was ajar," Gray was reporting, a serious look on his face. "I left Ash-face in the car with Lucy and went to secure the perimeter. After clearing the outside of the house, I entered through the back door. Nothing seemed out of place until I made it to the second floor. All three bedroom doors were open, though I was sure Lucy had closed hers before we left this morning. When I got to the top of the stairs, I saw that both mine and Lava Breath's rooms had been trashed. I mean, Te Ka's—" I snorted at the nickname "—room is always a disaster area, but this was something entirely different. The drawers of our dressers had been ripped out, and our clothes had been thrown all over the place. The desk drawers had received the same treatment. It was almost as if he was looking for something…"

Something prickled at the back of my mind. Looking for something. He was looking for something. Why did that feel so familiar?

"And Lucy's bedroom? Was it also disturbed?" Clive questioned, looking pensive.

"No, not that I saw. Other than the desk, where it looked like a notebook had been ripped up."

" _What?_ " I demanded, drawing their attention. My heart was pounding painfully again.

"What what?" Gray asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"You said a notebook had been ripped up in my room?" I pushed. My palms were starting to sweat. He couldn't have.

"Yeah. It was a small notebook, like the kind that reporters use—"

My breath hitched, and I stopped listening. He'd done it. He'd gone out of his way to find my writing and destroy it. I'd worked so _hard…_ then something occurred to me. Looking for something. The desk drawers being pulled out. The detectives' dresser drawers being searched through, but not mine. Gray was still talking, but I cut him off.

"Gray, you've been working on finding Dan this whole time, yeah?" I asked, my mind working a mile a minute.

"Yeah?" he confirmed, confusion evident on his face.

"You stay up late to work on the case, right?"

"Yes, why?"

I turned to Natsu. "You've been working on the case at night, too, yeah?"

"Uh-huh," Natsu assented, looking every bit as confused as Gray. They exchanged a look. "I don't see how this helps us—"

"He was looking for something," I explained. What he was looking for, it was so obvious. "Something that only the two of you would have. When he couldn't find it in your rooms, he went looking through my desk, too. He didn't look anywhere else because I wasn't supposed to have it." I locked eyes with Gray, who seemed to finally be catching up to me. "Or should I say _them_."

Gray's eyes lit up with understanding. He snapped and pointed at me. " _That's_ what he was looking for! But why…?"

"I am so lost," Natsu muttered, looking helplessly between the two of us. Captain Clive looked just as confused.

"What was he looking for?" Clive asked.

"The case files!" Gray and I exclaimed together. After a few seconds, things seemed to click for Natsu and Clive. Once they got it, they both gasped and looked at each other.

"But why would he want those?" Natsu inquired, scratching his head. Clive seemed to have caught on, however.

"To see how much we know, and what our plan of attack is." A look of deep thought crossed his face. "Did he find them?"

Gray shook his head. "I had them with me. Didn't feel comfortable leaving them behind."

Clive nodded his approval. "Good work, following your gut. I'll have Detectives Jet and Droy investigate the matter further. In the meantime, we need to place you three in a new safe house."

Just as Clive was sitting at his desk to find a new address on his computer, his phone rang.

"Captain Clive," he answered professionally. He listened for a moment before his face drained of color. "What?...Yes, I heard you, but…You do realize this makes five, right?...But what about…Okay…Okay…No, I understand…Thank you for the heads up…No, that's okay. We'll figure something out…Yes…You as well…Goodbye." Clive hung up the phone and ran his hands down his face.

"Problem, Gildarts?" Natsu pried. Clive looked from him, to Gray, to me for a moment before answering.

"Yeah, big problem. As of today, five safe houses have been compromised in the last three weeks."

"Meaning…?"

"Meaning I don't know where to send you three." Clive took a deep breath. "There's another safe house a few towns over, in Crocus. A city that big, it should be easy for you three to blend in."

"That's exactly where he is expecting us to go," Natsu interrupted, a dangerously calculating look in his eyes. "Which is exactly why we can't go there."

"You don't have a choice," Clive stated.

"Yes we do," Natsu argued, his gaze meeting Clive's defiantly. "She can move in with us here in Magnolia."

"What?!" Clive choked out, standing up. "Out of the question. Do you have any idea how unprofessional that is?"

"Exactly," Natsu countered, setting his shoulders. His jaw set. He was dead set on this idea. "Think about it. It's something you would never agree to. So he won't be expecting it. It'll buy us at least a few more weeks to try and track the bastard—" I flinched "—down. He knows you, Gildarts. He knows that you would never send a vic to an officer's private home."

"This is ridiculous even for you, Dragneel. I am not authorizing this. We have protocols to adhere to," Clive snapped, running a hand down his face again. I could tell the stress of the case was beginning to get to him. Natsu opened his mouth to argue, but I beat him to it.

"Actually, Captain Clive, I think it's a good idea," I spoke up, standing as well. All three pairs of eyes shot to me. "Natsu makes a very good point. Having me stay here in Magnolia is the last thing he would expect you guys to do." I turned to Natsu. "We could divert him even further by reporting that I had been sent to another safe house, but not specify which one. Natsu's right, it would buy us time by sending Dan on a wild goose chase. Plus, I would be closer to the precinct, which would make it easier to keep an eye on me. I think it's a solid plan."

All three men were staring at me with differing looks. Gray was watching me closely, as if searching for something. Clive seemed to be mulling over the idea. Natsu was staring at me in awe, his eyes wide, as if he hadn't expected me to defend him. I felt my face heat up again, turning away from him. Finally, Clive seemed to have come to a decision.

"All right," he conceded, raising his hands in surrender. "If Miss Heartfilia agrees with the plan, then I guess it's worth a shot. _No_ funny business!" Clive emphasized, pointing a finger at Natsu and Gray. After a second, he relaxed. "Oh, who am I kidding? This is Natsu and Gray I'm talking to. Since you will be staying in Magnolia, I'm putting both of you on desk duty for now. Miss Heartfilia, you will stay here in the precinct during their shifts. That way, I know you will be safe." He waved his hand. "You're dismissed."

As we shuffled out of the office, Natsu and Gray shot a look at each other. As soon as the door was shut, both of them were clapping me on the back.

"Way to use that backbone, Luce!" Natsu complimented, laughing. Gray nodded in agreement.

"No one talks back to Gildarts, except Flame Brain over here." He jammed his thumb at his partner. The pink haired man was grinning with pride. Gray opened his mouth to say more when he was drowned out by a female voice.

"My darling Gray, you've returned!" In a flash of blue, Gray was suddenly no longer at my side. Reacting slowly, I turned to see him sprawled out on the ground with a woman on top of him.

"Ow…Damn it, Juvia! That hurt!" he groaned, rubbing the back of his head. The woman, who I noticed had blue hair, just held him tighter.

"Juvia hasn't seen you in weeks! You hardly called while you were gone…Juvia was so lonely!" she cried, burying her face in his chest. Juvia…wait, wasn't that the woman Gray was kind of-sort of dating? I turned to Natsu to confirm this, but he was too busy trying to hide his laughter.

"You tell him, Juvia," Natsu choked out. "Don't let him treat you like that."

"Let him treat her like what?" Gajeel's gruff voice cut in. "What do you think you're doing to her, Fullbuster?"

Gray's face went pale as Juvia turned to look at Gajeel.

"He's been away on a job," she explained, holding him tighter, "and has been neglecting Juvia!"

"I thought I told you to treat her right, Ice Pick," Gajeel ground out, picking Gray up from the floor by the front of his shirt. Juvia was deposited on the floor beside them. "What's this I hear about you neglecting her?"

"I was on a job, Metal Face!" Gray argued. That nickname I understood. Gajeel had like, a million piercings. A number of which were in his head in varying places. "I've been trying to find this crazy detective. I haven't exactly had the time to think about dates!"

"So, you've been neglecting Juvia for this blonde tramp?" Juvia demanded, gesturing to me. Now, I understood that she missed her boyfriend. That was okay. What I wouldn't take lying down was being insulted. Just as I opened my mouth to tell her just that, I felt myself being pulled behind someone.

"Hey now, was that really necessary?" Natsu defended me, keeping one arm pulled back to hold onto me. Juvia turned to him, slightly startled. Before he could say anymore, I stepped out from behind him.

"Look, I know you don't know me, and I've been living with your boyfriend for the past few weeks, so this probably won't mean much to you, but I am not interested in him like that. I promise. Plus, he told me a little bit about you. You seem to make him happy," I finished, a smile playing on my face. Juvia looked between me and Natsu for a moment before she nodded curtly.

"Yes, Juvia makes him happy. Not you," she added haughtily. She then walked off, pulling Gray along with her. Over her shoulder, she told me, "Juvia will be keeping an eye on you, Miss Heartfilia."

"Just Lucy is fine!" I called after her, chuckling slightly. She was an interesting character, I'd give her that. Natsu nudged me with his shoulder.

"Don't worry too much about her," he said wryly. "Her relationship with Ice Princess is pretty new, and his communication skills are lacking. He's crazy about her, though." He laughed lightly, shaking his head. "I'll never understand those two… Anyway, wanna pick up some food and head home? It's been kind of a long day, and I need to pick up Happy from Wendy's."

"Yeah," I agreed, rubbing my tired eyes. A lot had happened in such a short period of time. All I wanted was a shower and a nap. "Happy's your cat, right?"

"He's my little buddy," Natsu said, smiling warmly. I said goodbye to Gajeel and we set out.

Instead of returning to the car, we walked to an apartment complex a few blocks away. It was tall, but old. Not the high-priced condo I'd shared with Dan. As we walked into the lobby, Natsu stopped and checked the mailbox. To my surprise, it was empty. This didn't seem to bother him, though. We made our way to the stairs, climbing them in comfortable silence. Silence had never been comfortable with Dan. One of us was always talking. Toward the end, it was always Dan. He'd tell me about the last criminal he'd arrested or funny stories about Gajeel. Then he'd complain about how hard I'd laughed— _It wasn't that funny, Lulu_ —or he'd get irritated with my fishing for more details.

We exited the stairs on the third floor, Natsu stopping at the fourth door and knocking. A soft voice called out, before the door opened to a young woman with dark blue hair. She couldn't have been older than nineteen.

"Ah, Natsu! Welcome back! Did you want to see Happy one more time before you left again?" the woman asked, stepping aside to let him in. He smiled as he walked past her, taking my hand to pull me in after him.

"Nah, I'm here to pick him up. Gray and I are back for the time being, so I figured I'd take him home." Natsu gestured to me. "This is Lucy. She'll be staying with us for a while. Lucy, this is my cousin, Wendy."

"It's very nice to meet you," Wendy greeted, smiling shyly at me. She was so cute, I couldn't help the warm smile that melted over my own face.

"The pleasure is all mine," I responded.

Wendy's apartment was a small one, two bedroom one bath, with a living room and a kitchen. From what I could see, Wendy had been folding laundry on the couch, which Natsu was now pawing through. I was about to reprimand him—seriously, what was it with him and going through women's laundry?—when he shouted in triumph and held up something blue and fuzzy.

Now, when I say blue, I'm not talking about grayish-blue or so black it's blue. I'm talking full-blown, bright as the summer sky blue. I stared at the small ball of fluff in his hands uncomprehendingly for a moment, trying to wrap my head around what I was looking at. The fluff ball lifted its head to look at me, eyes blinking blearily before closing completely and curling up in the man's hands. I took a few steps closer, reaching out without realizing it. The kitten was extremely soft to the touch, and it nuzzled into my hand when I scratched its head.

"Why—" I swallowed. "Why is your cat _blue_?"

"I dunno," Natsu shrugged. "I found him like that. About three months ago. He was sitting in a box on the street, with a sign that said 'Free to a good home.' I couldn't just leave the little guy there." Natsu rubbed the cat between the ears. "Ice Face didn't seem to be too put out by the idea of having a cat, since they pretty much take care of themselves, so I got to keep him. As if it Cold Front had any actual say in the matter." His face softened as he looked at the kitten in his hands. He turned to Wendy. "Thanks again for taking care of him. I really appreciate it, kiddo."

She smiled, reaching over to give Natsu a hug. "Any time. Carla seems to be warming up to him!" She gestured to a white kitten perched on the back of the couch. The kitten seemed to huff, before turning around and laying down, back facing all of us. She seemed so indignant, I couldn't help but giggle.

"We should probably get going. I'll stop in and visit again soon," Natsu promised, giving his cousin one more hug before ushering me out the door. Wendy called a quick "Bye!" over her shoulder as Natsu shut the door.

"So, how does Chinese sound?" he asked as he walked back into the stairwell. I nodded my acceptance as I followed him, reaching over to pet the little blue kitten again. Wordlessly, Natsu passed him over to me. Happy seemed content to snuggle up against my chest, purring loudly.

The next time we left the stairwell, we were on the seventh floor. I was a little winded from the walk, but Natsu seemed perfectly fine. He withdrew his key and opened the door to an apartment similar to Wendy's. This one was a two bedroom, two bath with a common room and a slightly larger kitchen. There was also an area with a dining room table. I figured it made sense for them to have one, with how much Natsu seems to cook.

I settled myself on the couch as Natsu dialed the closest Chinese restaurant, asking me what I wanted as he waited for them to answer. It was so strange. Normally, Dan would order for me. _Don't worry, Lulu. You'll like this. You should broaden your horizons._ He always made me eat whatever he was in the mood for. It was…nice, to have someone ask me for my opinions on things again. It had been so long…

"Hey, Mr. Grumpy Gills," Natsu interrupted my thoughts, leaning over to get a good look at me. "Why the long face?"

"Just…thinking," I answered, flushing slightly. He straightened, hands on his hips, staring at me for a moment before his face seemed to light up with an idea. He disappeared into the room farthest from the front door for a moment, before returning with a laptop in hand. He stood in front of me, typing for a moment, before he set the computer on the coffee table and pressed the space bar.

" _I can see you over there, staring at your drink, watching that ice sink all alone tonight,"_ Keith Urban's voice floated out of the laptop, and Natsu reached a hand out to me. I stared at it for a moment, warring with myself, before I defiantly slid mine into it and let him pull me off the couch. Happy meowed unhappily at being displaced, curling up where I had just been sitting. Both of us laughed as Natsu pulled me into his arms, wrapping one around my waist and taking my hand in his.

" _I'm not tryna be another just pick you up kinda guy, trying to drink you up, tryna take you home,"_ Natsu sang as we swayed, stepping awkwardly left and right. I giggled as I stepped along, letting him swing me around the room. He would speed up and slow down with the tempo of the song, all the while keeping me close to him. We circled the room as he sang to me, dipping his head close to mine to sing softly into my ear. As the song came to an end, he rested his forehead against mine, swaying us back and forth, not really moving. I felt so comfortable…so safe in his arms…a soft smile playing on my lips as we sat there, even after the song had stopped playing. I took a deep breath of his unique scent—of campfires and pine and something entirely his own—and my heart began to swell. I opened my eyes to see him watching me carefully, his pink hair mixing with my blonde as he kept his forehead resting against mine.

"He doesn't deserve you," he told me quietly, stopping our swaying. I stiffened.

"What?" I couldn't have heard him right. I kept my eyes glued on his.

"He doesn't deserve you," Natsu repeated, pulling his head away from mine. I immediately missed the contact, then berated myself for it. "And you don't deserve any of this. You deserve so much better…"

I was about to open my mouth—to say _something_ , _anything_ —when the front door opened, revealing Gray and Juvia. They were holding bags of Chinese food. Natsu and I jumped away from each other as we'd been burned.

"Are we _interrupting_ something?" Gray asked, glancing from me to him. I rubbed at my cheeks to hide my blush, rushing forward to take the bags from both of them.

"Of course not," I said, though it felt like a lie. Coughing to cover my embarrassment, I walked into the kitchen. "Where are the dishes? I'll set the table. Will you be joining us, Juvia?"

"They're in the cupboard by the fridge. Can I talk to you for a moment, _Partner?_ " Gray growled at Natsu, gesturing to the bedroom closest to the front door. Natsu held his gaze defiantly before letting out a long sigh, following Gray into the room. The door shut softly, and Juvia and I were left in silence.

"I guess I should…" I trailed off, taking plates out of the cupboard. Juvia wordlessly walked in and pulled out four cups. The tension in the air was palpable. My hands shook as I set the table, trying not to remember the warmth of Natsu's arm around my waist and his hand in mine. I tried, and failed, to forget how perfect it felt to have his forehead resting against mine…how _right_ it felt. I ripped open one of the food bags, setting up the takeout containers where everyone could reach them.

"You know," Juvia began, breaking the unbearable silence, "Juvia first thought you were a rival for Gray's attention."

I almost snapped at her, until I noticed the determined look on her flushed face.

"But then, Juvia saw you and Natsu together…and she's not afraid anymore. The way you two were looking at each other…" she trailed off, sighing.

"There is no look, Juvia," I said quietly, rearranging the takeout bags. "He's just protecting me because it's his job. If anything, we're friends, and that probably shouldn't have happened." I swallowed the lump building up in my throat.

"Juvia doesn't think Natsu's protecting you simply because it's his job," Juvia argued, giving me a soft look. "Juvia thinks he cares about you. And it's pretty obvious that you care about him."

"He's my friend, Juvia. After this is all over, we'll probably go our separate ways and never see each other again…" The tears that threatened to spill from my eyes surprised me. Three weeks. I'd known this man for three weeks. Why did the idea of leaving him… _hurt_ this badly? Why was I crying? It didn't make any sense. Again, I remembered how it felt to be in his arms. Juvia looked like she wanted to argue with me, but the detectives came out of the bedroom before she could. Gray looked agitated, but Natsu looked determined.

"Who's hungry?" he said in a cheery attempt to lighten the mood.

Turns out, this didn't work out too well. Gray was obviously mad at him, and refused to speak all throughout dinner. Juvia was trying to placate Gray, and I was trying desperately to forget mine and Natsu's moment from earlier. Altogether, it made for a very awkward meal. When Gray announced that he was done, Juvia put both of their plates in the sink before following him into his bedroom, shooting a look at me as she shut the door. I tried to ignore her.

"So," Natsu started, clearing his throat. "If you wanna take a shower, you can use mine. I'll handle the dishes tonight." I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up his hand for silence. "It's been a long day. You deserve a break. Here, I'll grab you something to change into for tonight." With that, he got up and walked over to the other room, glancing over his shoulder to see if I was following. At his unspoken prompting, I set my plate in the sink and followed him. He rummaged around in his dresser drawers for a moment before pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Handing them to me, he gestured to the bathroom connected to the room and instructed me on how to work the shower. Then he left, shutting the bathroom door behind him.

As soon as I heard the bedroom door shut as well, I locked the bathroom door. Clutching the clothes tight to my chest, I took deep breaths to calm my racing heart. This wasn't a painful racing, though. It was an exciting racing. But it didn't feel like it did when I first started dating Dan either, though. It felt new, but not uncomfortable. I shook my head to clear it of the confusing thoughts as I turned the faucet, adjusting the temperature for my shower.

I looked in the mirror as I waited for the water to heat up. Glaring at my reflection, I again thought of dancing with Natsu. _He doesn't deserve you_ he'd said. _And you don't deserve any of this._ How could he be so sure?

I stripped and stepped under the water, grabbing his shampoo. How could he be so sure I didn't deserve what had happened? People say everything happens for a reason, so what must I have done that was so bad? Was it because I'd lied to Dan so many times, saying that I hadn't gone to lunch with coworkers when I really had? I scrubbed at my scalp harder. Was it because a part of me still loved Dan, even after everything he'd done? Was it because I part of me was never really all that happy with him, but I stayed anyway?

I finished my shower and changed into the clothes provided. The sweatpants hung off my hips, and the shirt hung off my shoulders, but they were comfortable and warm. Wringing the water out of my hair with my towel, I stepped into the bedroom, about to walk back into the living room, only to see Natsu arranging pillows and a blanket on the couch. Juvia was standing by the front door, obviously getting ready to leave.

"He won't stay angry for long," she was saying, clutching her bag to her chest. "He's just worried. For both of you." I hung back, not fully opening the door.

"He needs to learn to mind his own business. I know that she's a victim. I don't need to be reminded all the damn time that we can't be together," Natsu replied, fluffing a pillow a little harder than necessary.

"For now," Juvia said, giving Natsu a warm look. "But when all of this is over, if you wanted to be together…"

"Even if that's what I wanted—and I'm not saying it is!—but even if it _was_ , I highly doubt she'd want to be with someone so soon after leaving her ex. I crossed a line tonight, Juvia, but that doesn't mean I need to be lectured by Mr. Mom every time I do. I know when I've gone too far." He heaved a sigh. I decided now was a pretty good time to make myself known.

"Hey, Juvia. Are you on your way out?" I asked, causing Natsu to jump slightly. Juvia simply smiled at me.

"Yes, Juvia thinks it's time she headed home. I hope to see you again very soon, Lucy. Have a good night. You too, Natsu." He waved at her from the couch, suddenly very involved in putting together the makeshift bed. She giggled as she left, waving to us one more time before closing the door.

"Look," I began, just as he said, "Listen." We both laughed softly before I urged him to go first.

"Listen," he tried again, scratching the back of his head. "I went a little too far earlier. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" he paused, grappling for words. "I mean, I meant what I said, but…I shouldn't have…" He was beginning to look very frustrated.

"It's okay," I soothed, putting my hands up. "You were just trying to make me feel better. I…appreciate…what you said earlier. I'm not so sure I agree with you, but I appreciate the sentiment."

His eyes met mine for a long moment before he looked away again, pulling nervously at his scarf. "Okay. So, we cool?"

I smiled. "We're cool."

He gave me an easy smile. "Well, I should probably hit the hay. We have to be at the precinct early tomorrow. I set up some pillows and stuff for you to sleep here. I hope you don't mind bumming it on the couch."

"Not at all. Thank you for the blankets and such."

He gave me one last smile, one that lasted a little longer than necessary, before he walked past me to his bedroom. Right before he opened the door, he paused.

"Oh, and Luce?" I glanced up at him. "You may not believe me _yet_ , but I promise you didn't do anything wrong. And you don't deserve anything that he did to you." With that, he closed the door with one more "Goodnight" thrown over his shoulder.

I curled up on the couch under the blanket, burying my head in my borrowed pillow and mulled what he said over in my head. _You didn't do anything wrong_. While I didn't believe him, I let myself pretend as I fell asleep. It wasn't the best night's sleep I'd ever had, but instead of nightmares I dreamed that I was dancing, being held my someone warm.

* * *

 **Holy shit, you guys. This is the longest chapter yet. This has definitely been the hardest chapter to write. I would say that I hope the aftermath of the dance scene between Natsu and Lucy wasn't too awkward, but it was supposed to be. Also, I had someone mention that they were hoping this would be a slow burn, and all I can say is, "Me too, bruh." Turns out I just super suck at writing them. Granted, Natsu and Lucy were friends for three weeks off screen before they started to develop feelings for each other.**

 **Going off of that, I really hope y'all don't feel like their relationship is being rushed. The dance scene kind of popped into my head today, and it was just too cute, I _had_ to add it. My Natsu's such a sweet pea, ain't he?**

 **Also, yes, Gray did reference Moana. It was a good movie. Shut up.**

 **I'd like to thank everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed since my last update, and as always, I thank everyone for their continued support and understanding of my crazy school schedule.**

 **I can't promise when I'll get the next chapter out, but I can promise I'll do my best to have it done as soon as I can.**


	7. A Little Slice of Serenity

The next few days were mildly uneventful.

They were spent cooped up in the precinct, twiddling my thumbs and watching Natsu and Gray complete paperwork. I had taken to people watching to stave off the intense boredom. Somehow, even while sitting at his desk, Gray managed to randomly remove articles of clothing. I kept track of how many pieces he lost before someone yelled at him. So far, he hadn't gotten past removing his shirt, shoes, and socks. Someone always managed to notice just as he was reaching for his belt, and I was eternally grateful.

Watching Natsu was surprisingly boring. I would've thought that he would be my main source of entertainment; there was no way he could sit and do nothing all day. It's not that he was doing paperwork, really—though I did see him typing from time to time. No, he was sleeping. How a grown man could sleep for the majority of the day, then go home and sleep an entire night was beyond me. The one time I'd tried to follow his example and nap to pass the time, I'd been up half the night that night, unable to sleep.

The other officers in the station were a different story entirely. I'd learned so many things about Magnolia's police force just by watching and eavesdropping. Laxus Dreyer, a detective in his mid-thirties, had apparently been quite the handful earlier in his career. He was the chief of police's grandson, and he felt he deserved the title of captain. He hadn't been pleased when Captain Clive— _Call me Gildarts. Everyone does_ —had been chosen. From what I'd heard, it had caused quite an uproar. Two other detectives, Freed Justine and Bixlow (I'd yet to hear anyone refer to him by any other name, so I didn't know if that was his last name or his first), had taken his side in the matter. Finally, Chief Dreyer had informed Detective Dreyer that if he didn't get his act together, he would be off the force entirely, then sent him to another precinct for a while. I was glad I hadn't been around for that.

I'd heard other things directly from the other officers. Warran seemed to be the office gossip. He knew _everything_ about _everyone._ He told me all about Max Alors and his weird obsession with cleaning equipment. He'd shared stories of Gray and Natsu, back when they were patrol officers. Not much had changed on that front. Warran had filled me in on the drama involving Gildarts and the brunette woman in the photos, who turned out to be his daughter.

He'd even told me all about Lisanna and Bixlow, and how everyone had been terrified of what Natsu would do when he found out the two were dating, especially since it was after the Detective Dreyer fiasco. Everyone knew that Lisanna was his childhood friend, and some suspected more, and evidently, he had a bit of a temper. Even Bixlow was nervous to tell the pink-haired man about their relationship. The story goes that Bixlow had pulled Natsu aside one day, in the middle of the precinct, and had just let it out. Warran said Natsu had been silent and stiff for a moment, before grabbing the other man by the collar and throwing him up against a wall. He said that Natsu had gotten in his face and told him that if Bixlow ever hurt Lisanna—if she ever came to Natsu crying—he would make sure no one ever found Bixlow's body. This scared him so badly that Bixlow made Lisanna tell Natsu when they got engaged. Warran said that when Natsu found out about _that_ , he was so excited that he grabbed Bixlow into a big hug, congratulating him. Apparently, he'd whispered something into Bixlow's ear that caused him to stiffen, but neither man would fess up to what it was.

As much as he'd tried to hide it from me, Gajeel had a new partner. She was a petite, blue-haired woman named Levy, and Jet and Droy were enamored with her. Gajeel, on the other hand, seemed desperate to avoid her. I hadn't heard any reason for his aversion, and it apparently frustrated the small detective to no end. I'd only seen her once or twice in passing, while she was angrily looking for Gajeel, so I hadn't had an opportunity to talk to her yet.

By the fourth day, I could tell that my questions and conversations were a distraction for the other detectives, so I set about finding another source of entertainment. This came in the form of messing with Natsu. After a stern lecture from Gildarts that morning, he was angrily typing away at his computer. Every now and again, he would drag a hand through his hair in frustration, causing it to spike out in all directions. Staring at his mess of pink spikes, an idea came to mind. I walked quietly to Gray's desk, which was situated behind Natsu's, and grabbed a small stack of scrap paper he used for taking notes. Gray raised an eyebrow at me as I meticulously began to ball up the small squares of paper. I held one finger up to my lips in response and shot a glance at Natsu. Understanding my unspoken explanation, he turned his office chair away from his desk and began to create little balls of paper of his own. When we both had good sized piles, he turned to me.

"What's our objective?" Gray whispered, giving me a playful smile.

"One who gets the most in his hair without him noticing wins," I explained, giving him a smile of my own.

"What happens if I win?" Gray asked cockily. I thought this over for a moment.

"Laundry. Whoever loses has to do the other's laundry for a week." This seemed to impress him.

"You're on."

Gray rolled his shoulders before he threw his first ball of paper. It missed Natsu by a wide margin and landed in the trash can beside him. I snickered quietly before tossing my own ball, nailing him in the shoulder. We both tensed, but Natsu gave no indication that he'd noticed. The next few balls either didn't make it all the way to him, or sailed clear over his head. One of my balls landed neatly on top of his head, and I threw both arms up in a silent cheer. Gray gave me a competitive look before throwing one of his own, lodging it in the disarray that was the back of Natsu's head. The game went on for another five solid minutes, each one of us silently celebrating our victories until Natsu reached up to run his hand through his hair again.

"What…?" he mumbled, feeling weird obstructions in his way. He glanced around him to see small balls of white paper littered over his desk and the floor. I threw my hands up and cheered.

"Yes! I won!"

"How do you figure?" Gray demanded.

"Because _you_ were the last the throw before he noticed. Therefore, you lose, Fullbuster."

"But it wasn't my ball that caused him to notice," he argued, sitting forward. I waved my hand passively.

"Doesn't matter. Plus, I got more in his hair than you did," I added smugly, crossing my arms and daring Gray to argue further. He crossed his own and huffed.

"Man, that sucks. I suck at laundry."

Meanwhile, Natsu had been staring at us with a look of utter confusion. After a moment of listening to our argument, he seemed to catch on to what we had been doing. He opened his mouth, but was drowned out by a female voice.

"Gajeel!"

The three of us turned just in time to see Gajeel's new partner, Levy McGarden, storm into the precinct. She looked absolutely livid. Her face was bright red, her blue hair was slick with sweat, and she was breathing heavily. Her slightly crazed eyes scanned the room, searching for black hair and tanned skin. When she didn't find what she was looking for, she let out a strained scream through clenched teeth.

"I know you're here, Redfox! You can't hide from me, you _coward!_ " Levy yelled, stamping her foot in punctuation. Seeming to calm down after that, she took a deep breath and sank down into the chair at her desk. She ran her hands down her face in defeat as Jet and Droy made their way over to her.

"What did he do this time, Levy?" Jet asked, sitting down in the seat next to her. Droy grabbed a chair from a nearby desk and wheeled it over.

"We'll take care of him for you. Don't you worry. He won't do it again," Droy announced, puffing out his chest. Levy looked over at them both before smiling wearily.

"Don't worry about it, guys," she told them. "He left me at a crime scene again, that's all. And I had to walk all the way back here. Took me an _hour_ ," Levy mumbled, her anger seeming to spike again. I felt my own begin to rise. Again? He'd done this to her before? I knew he could be an asshole, but this was pushing it.

Levy seemed to agree. "I just can't believe he would do this to me _again!_ Seriously! I swear, when I get my hands on him…" she trailed off through clenched teeth. She silently seethed for a moment as Jet and Droy continued to coo at her in an attempt to soothe her. Instead of calming down, Levy's face got redder.

"I don't need you two to fight my battles for me!" she snapped, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I am more than capable of handling an uncooperative coworker on my own!" She turned and looked directly into my eyes. "Can you believe this? Ugh, _men_ , am I right?"

"Totally," I agreed vehemently. Secondhand indignation had risen in me. "That's total BS that Gajeel would leave you at a crime scene and make you _walk back_. You're in _high heels_. I can only imagine how much your feet must hurt right now."

" _Thank_ you!" Levy said, throwing her arms around wildly. "You know that the only time Gajeel willingly talks to me, he does nothing but make fun of my height?"

"No!" I gasped. Seriously? He not only ignored her, but he bullied her, too? "You should kick him in the shin the next time you see him. See how much good those long legs do him then."

Levy laughed, leaving her seat to cross the room. "You know, that's a good idea." She extended her hand to me. "I'm Levy McGarden, by the way."

"Lucy," I introduced myself, grasping her hand warmly in mine. We smiled for a moment, reveling in our newly formed friendship, before she pulled away.

"So, how's it been living with those two?" she asked, gesturing to Natsu and Gray. I released a long-suffering sigh.

"It has its ups and downs. Natsu's a great cook, not a great housekeeper. I'm pretty sure Gray kept the house _livable_ , but it still wasn't ideal. It took me three hours the first day to bring it up to my standards. Not to mention they fight… _all the time_." I ran a hand through my hair, blowing my bangs out of my face. Levy shook her head. We both ignored the two men's indignant protests.

The next few hours continued like that. Levy and I moved on to other topics; our favorite books (Levy was an even more avid reader than I was), our favorite movies, our hobbies ("Oh, Lu, you write? That's amazing! I'm an awful writer, but I love to read. Promise you'll let me read your novel?"). The time just flew by, so it surprised us both when Gray walked up and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Time to go, Lucy," he informed me, not unkindly. I could see that he seemed a little hesitant to break up my little pow wow.

"Oh…" I glanced at the clock. It was well-past seven. Since the detectives were on desk duty, they tended to get off their shifts around dinner time. Natsu was already gone. "Okay."

"Don't worry, Lu! I'll see you tomorrow!" Levy assured me. I smiled. She leaned in conspiratorially. "Maybe you can bring what you have finished of your novel for me to read. I'm really excited about it! It sounds like such an interesting story!"

I was right about to agree when I remembered: I didn't have the novel I had been working on. It had been destroyed back at the safe house. My face fell. I opened my mouth to explain this to her, but stopped short. I turned to Gray.

"Do you think we could stop by the store on the way back?" I asked intently. Gray raised an eyebrow at me.

"I don't see why not. What do you need?"

I smiled. Maybe Dan had torn up my first draft of my story, but he hadn't destroyed it completely. It was still in my head. Talking to Levy had gotten my creative juices flowing again.

When we arrived back at the apartment, a bag with a few notebooks and a pack of pencils in hand, Natsu was just putting dinner on the table.

"Perfect timing!" he beamed at me, gesturing to the food. "Supper's ready."

I couldn't help the giggle that passed through my lips. _Supper's ready_? Seriously?

The giggle didn't go unnoticed.

"What's so funny?" Natsu demanded. After a second of deliberation, he quickly ran a hand through his hair. Finding nothing, he began to blindly search his back. "You assholes didn't put anything on me again, did you?"

"Maybe she just thought your face was funny looking," Gray offered. "I know I do."

"No one _asked_ for your _opinion_ , Ice Breath. I was asking _Lucy_ ," Natsu growled, stepping into Gray's personal space.

"I'm sure Lucy would agree with me, Lava Butt," Gray retaliated, stepping more into Natsu's. That reminded me…

"Why do you guys do that?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. Both men turned to look at me.

"Fight? We hate each other," Natsu deadpanned, as if this fact was obvious. I waved my hand, dismissing his response.

"No, insult each other like that. Every single one has a fire or ice theme. I don't get it."

"Oh, I guess you wouldn't know, huh?" Gray said, rubbing the back of his head, slightly self-conscious. "Here, sit and eat, and I'll explain." Once we were all situated, he continued.

"Me and Fire Face here go way back. We went to high school together." He cringed slightly. "Anyway, we've never gotten along, so everything was a competition for us." That wasn't surprising. "We would compete in everything; sports, pranks, grades…The only class that we were equal in was chemistry."

That one surprised me. Gray being good at chemistry? I mean, sure, yeah, I'd buy that. But Natsu? It's not that I thought he was stupid, I just never imagined that he was very…book smart. Natsu always struck me as the street smart type.

"After months of getting the exact same grade on every assignment, we began to get frustrated. So, we escalated. Started mixing things on our own. Natsu always managed to create flames—didn't matter what chemicals he was using, it always generated fire. I've always been pretty partial to liquid nitrogen."

"Which freezes things," I realized. Gray nodded.

"So, we started trying to one-up each other in chemistry class. I got angry at him one day and called him 'Rotten Pyro,' then he called me 'Pervy Popsicle,' and the rest is history." Gray leaned back, hand on his now bare stomach.

"Ah, I get it!" I exclaimed, snapping at my epiphany. "The reason why you guys don't like each other! It's a fire and ice thing!"

Both men looked at me like I was crazy. "Huh?"

"You know, fire and ice don't get along? Natsu's fire, and you're ice, so obviously you guys would…butt…heads…" The looks they were giving me were making me feel dumb. "You know what? Forget it."

"Whatever you say," Natsu said, before leaning over to Gray and whispering, "I told you she was a weirdo."

"I heard that!" I snapped, grabbing both men's plates. Natsu complained, claiming he wasn't finished. I ignored him and went about clearing the table. As I passed Natsu a second time, I paused.

"The food was very good," I complimented curtly. "Thank you for the meal." Then I was gone. I heard Gray mumble something—something that sounded like _Don't even think about it_ —before Natsu joined me in the kitchen, a dishrag in hand.

"You're very welcome," he said, grabbing the plate I had just finished rinsing to dry it. I ignored him, so he bumped my hip with his. An involuntary giggle escaped my lips before I could stop it. I bumped him back in retaliation. A grin split across Natsu's face as he reached down to poke me in the side. I yelped in surprise, jumping five feet into the air, before swatting his hand away with a fake scowl.

More and more often, this was how I found myself with Natsu. Laughing, joking, bumping hips…it was almost like having a best friend on the playground. It was just so…comfortable. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, relishing in the feeling of serenity that washed over me.

"I haven't felt like this in a long time," I whispered to myself, smiling.

"What do you mean?" Natsu's voice brought me back to the moment. I hadn't realized I'd said that out loud.

"Oh, nothing," I answered, waving my hand in a dismissive gesture and giggling nervously. Natsu didn't buy it.

"No, really. What did you mean?"

I watched him for a long moment, taking in the determined set of his jaw. He wasn't going to let this go any time soon. I let out a deep sigh, looking for my words.

"Well…I just…haven't been this… _comfortable_ in a long time," I confessed, looking into the empty sink. Natsu leaned his arm against the counter, looking confused.

"You didn't feel comfortable with your ex?" he questioned me, his face open. It didn't sound like a judgement; he was simply curious. I relaxed slightly.

"I mean, there was a time…" I trailed off, remembering better times in mine and Dan's relationship. I shook my head to clear it of the cobwebs. "It doesn't matter. Don't worry about it."

Natsu shook his head as well. "It does matter. It was a time when you were happy. It's okay to remember the happy times, even if they hurt now."

This opened the flood gates. I told Natsu all about Dan and how he was so charming when we first met. How I felt so special, because he wanted to spend time with someone who was so much younger. I was only twenty-one when we met. He was twenty-six. I told Natsu about the happy times. About how Dan would bring me flowers randomly, how he would text me out of the blue just to tell me that he missed me, how he would insist that he pay on our dates…

Then I told him about how Dan changed. How it had been so gradual…I hadn't even noticed at first. How it had started with jokes. Jokes about my weight, about my height, about my breast size. Whenever I would call him out on them, Dan would insist that he had only been joking. _C'mon Lulu_ , he'd tell me, _It's just a joke. You can take a joke, right?_ Then, things escalated. He would make comments about the people I spent time with, about my writing, about my modelling. He would criticize the movies I liked, the books I read, the music I listened to. It began to bother me, so I quit watching those movies, reading those books, and listening to those songs. I started spending less and less time with my friends, just because it was easier than arguing with Dan about them. Then, the jokes about my appearance became legitimate sneers. My shirts were too low cut. My shorts were too short. My toes looked funny, so I probably shouldn't wear flip flops anymore. Changing my appearance was a harder fight, but eventually I gave in.

Sitting on the couch, me cross legged and him with one leg pulled up, I told him about my modelling. I explained to Natsu just how difficult it was, which seemed to surprise him. He told me that even though he had known Mira forever, knew she modeled, it never occurred to him that there would be actual skill involved. I told Natsu about my writing; about stories I'd written, and ones I hadn't. I told him about scenes that had made me cry, scenes that made me laugh, and scenes that were so badly written they made me cringe. He laughed, offered encouraging comments, but didn't truly interrupt. For the first time in a very long time, I had someone who was genuinely interested in what I had to say. Never once during our conversation did I feel like I was boring him, or annoying him, or burdening him.

Natsu, in turn, told me about how he became a detective. He told me about growing up with Gray, who's adoptive mother was a cop. Natsu's dad was one, too, and when they found out that they had children so close in age, they began setting up playdates. He told me about meeting Erza when he was in middle school, and how she made it her personal mission to stop any and all fights he had with Gray—violently. He told me about high school, his relationship with Lisanna, and then about her accident. He confessed to feeling relieved when she said she just wanted to be friends—it was all he ever wanted. Natsu told me about the teachers he liked, the ones he hated, and the ones he could hardly remember. He told me about how pissed he was when he saw Gray in his class that first day in the academy—and about how relieved he felt to see a familiar face.

Gray went to bed, so we lowered our voices. I told Natsu about my parents; how when my mom died, my dad kind of shut down. I told him about growing up in a mansion filled with staff, and never feeling more alone. I told him about how I would visit my mother's grave, which was located on the property, every day and tell her about my day. How I would tell her all of my problems, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to give me solutions. I told him about running away when I was sixteen, living on my own for two years, before my father came to find me. I told him about our tentative reconciliation, about how our relationship had been improving, until I met Dan. I confessed that I actually kind of missed him.

Natsu told me about his own father. He told me about being adopted when he was a child; his parents died in an accident and his older brother was unable to take care of him. He told me about waffles and Saturday morning cartoons. He explained that Igneel, his father, insisted on eating everything with hot sauce. _It's an acquired taste_ , he told me, chuckling. Natsu told me that even though he grew up in a one-child household, he never really felt lonely.

He told me about Igneel's disappearance when he was fourteen. How he had shown up at the precinct every day for months, begging for information on the case. How Gildarts had taken notice, and had offered Natsu a job at his precinct the moment Natsu graduated from the academy. He sneered as he recanted the incompetence of the detective on the case. About how it felt to go _years_ without hearing anything. His voice had cracked as he told me about the police finding Igneel's remains. Apparently, he had been dead for a long time. According to the coroner, Igneel had been murdered. Natsu's fists clenched as he informed me that they never found his killer. He confided to me that that was the major reason why he became a detective in the first place—so that no other family had to go so long without closure.

It was only when I could hardly keep my eyes open anymore that we parted for the night. A quick glance at the clock about the stove told me that it was around three in the morning. I felt a quick stab of guilt for keeping Natsu up so long, but the sleepy grin he threw me over his shoulder as he disappeared into his bedroom washed it away. I curled up under my comforter on the couch feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It had felt amazing; saying something and having my words _mean something_ to someone. I sighed contentedly as I drifted off to sleep.

No bad dreams tonight.

* * *

 **Oh my goodness, you guys. Surprisingly, this chapter took forever and a day to write. There are quite a few things I'm proud of in the chapter-the largest of which is the bonding scene at the end.**

 **So, I thought this was funny. I received a review asking if Levy would be joining the cast any time soon _literally_ as I was writing her introductory scene. xNightDreamerx, I hope you enjoyed her introduction!**

 **Just as a heads up, it might be a little while before I can get the next chapter out. I turn in my research proposal for my Master's thesis next week, and then have to defend it within two weeks after that, so things are gonna get a little hectic on my end. I promise that I will return to this story as soon as I can.**

 **As always, I would like to thank everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed since the last update from the bottom of my heart. You guys are so encouraging, and every notification really brightens my day. Thanks for sticking with me as long as you have, and I promise to get the next chapter out as soon as things in my life calm down.**


	8. Pedicures and Greek Plates

"You weren't kidding," I commented, eyeing Gray from my spot at the dining room table. He glanced over at me from his perch on the couch.

"What?" he asked.

"You do suck at laundry." I cackled at the glare he sent me before returning to his task. In front of him sat a mountain of shirts, jeans, slacks, and various types of underwear. Both men wore briefs. Who knew?

"If you don't like my folding, why don't you come do it yourself?" Gray snapped, throwing down a red t-shirt. I looked back down to my notebook, twiddling the pencil in between my fingers.

"Nope. You lost. Suffer the consequences."

Gray huffed. Shaking my head with a smile, I read back over the last few paragraphs I'd written. I was able to keep the details mostly the same, though I had to fudge what I couldn't remember. The biggest change was the introduction of a new character. Upon leaving the magic shop, the protagonist meets a hot-headed boy and his talking, flying cat. After accidentally getting involved with a human trafficking ring, she's saved by the boy again. In a surprising show of strength, the boy reveals that he is a fire wizard. I scrunched up my nose as I reread the fight scene between him and ring leader. Something about it just wasn't…clicking. I narrowed my eyes.

"You should have him use a magic attack," a voice said, right into my ear. I jumped three feet out of my chair and screamed. The voice chuckled.

"Natsu!" I grabbed my heart and twisted around the glare at him. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry," he said around a mouthful of apple, not sounding sorry at all. "But seriously, you should have him use a magic attack. It would be badass."

My glare intensified as I closed the notebook. "Who said you could read that?" I peeked back into the notebook, eyes skimming back over the scene again. Damn it, he was right.

Natsu shot me a grin as he walked into the living room, falling into an armchair and taking another bite of apple. I sighed and dragged my eraser across the page, sorely missing my laptop. Erasers were messy; they dirtied and crinkled the pages, especially when you had to erase a lot. I subtly glanced back at Natsu as I considered what type of magic attack to use. He had become my muse for this specific character, not that I would ever admit that out loud. He and Gray would rib me relentlessly if they ever found out. A small smile stretching across my lips, I decided to give the boy in the story dragon-type magic. Natsu had told me about how his adoptive father, Igneel, used to make up bedtime stories for him. All of them had dragons. Natsu had inherited the love of the creature through osmosis, apparently.

I opened the second notebook I'd bought with Gray, the one that contained all the information on my characters, and added the new details to the boy's character sheet. I had a handful of other characters planned out, all shamelessly inspired by the people around me. There was an ice magic wielder who had a volatile, but friendly, relationship with the fire wizard. There was the barmaid who worked at the wizard guild who hid a dark past behind a bright smile, and her brother who could bench press a bus. There was the beautiful but deadly swordswoman, who both the ice and fire wizards were terrified of. I was working out relationships in my head, connecting each character to another in different ways, but was still undecided on how my two main characters would connect. Would they be the best of friends, platonic life partners, or would they become something more? I stole another glance at Natsu. I guessed only time would tell.

As I wrote the protagonist's introduction to the guild, my hand started to slow. The sound of the action movie Natsu and Gray had agreed on was distracting me, and my stomach was beginning to growl. Just as I was about to get up to stretch, a knock sounded at the door.

Both men shared a look, some unspoken argument, before Gray sighed and made his way across the room. Natsu turned back to the TV with a triumphant look on his face. I rolled my eyes. Men.

"Juvia?" Gray sounded surprised, and moved out of the way for the blue-haired woman to enter the room. "What are you doing here?" A twinge of panic edged into his voice. "I thought date night was tomorrow night."

"Oh, it is," Juvia assured him, patting his cheek as one might comfort a child. "Juvia isn't here for you. She's here for Lucy."

"What?" I spoke up, alerting her to my position at the table. Now it was my turn to panic. "Have I done something wrong? Because I swear to you, Juvia, I—"

Juvia let loose a peal of laughter. "Oh no! Juvia was just wondering if you wanted to come hang out with a bunch of us today. Go shopping and all those fun things women do." Both Natsu and Gray opened their mouths, but Juvia held up a hand to silence them. "You two aren't invited. And before you argue," Juvia continued quickly, as both had opened their mouths again, "Levy will be with us, as will Erza. Juvia is sure Lucy can survive a few hours without you two mommy hawks watching over her."

She turned back to me. "How does that sound?" A girls' day. I hadn't had one in ages. Even in the early stages of our relationship, Dan complained about me going out without him. _But Lulu_ , he would whine, _I'll be lonely without you._ This steadily turned to jealousy. _Who were you really with, Lulu? You think I'll believe that? You were with another man, I can smell him all over you._

I shook my head, silencing Dan's whispers. Looking back at Juvia, a smile split across my face. Girl time. Shopping. Maybe hitting up a book store or two, since Levy was coming. This could be fun.

"That sounds awesome!" I cheered, feeling giddy. "Just let me throw on some jeans, and we can leave." I'd been sitting around in sweats for the majority of the day. Since both Natsu and Gray were off today, I figured I wouldn't be going anywhere, either. Just as I was heading over to the suitcase I kept stashed in the coat closet, Juvia stopped me.

"Lucy, it's pretty hot today. Maybe shorts would be a better choice," she suggested, taking in my sweats and Magnolia University hoodie. An uncomfortable coil twisted in my stomach. Shorts would show off my legs.

"It's fine," I assured her cheerfully, stepping around her. "Besides, I don't own any shorts, so it's cool."

"At least take off your hoodie, then. You're gonna roast out there in it. Juvia doesn't understand how you're not roasting in here…" Genuine concern laced her tone, and I tried to wave her off. I started to argue that I would be fine, but she was adamant. Sighing, I pulled out my lightest long-sleeved shirt, compromising. The thought of showing off my arms again…

I shivered as I changed in Gray's bathroom. Dan's words came floating back into my ears. Comments about how much skin I showed, accusations of attention-seeking. I pulled the slightly translucent material over my hands, feeling entirely too exposed. With a deep breath, I stepping out of the bathroom, where Juvia waited with something in her hands. She had a huge smile on her face, which Natsu mirrored. Getting a better look at what was in her hands, my breath caught in my throat.

Flip flops. Pink flip flops. Juvia had brought me pink flip flops. My toes wiggled in my socks, and I could practically feel the breeze moving through them. When was the last time I'd worn flip flops? Dan had hated them; hated the sound they made when I walked, hated the way the designs would fade from overuse, hated the way they showed off my newly painted toenails. I reached out, trying desperately to remember why I stopped wearing them in the first place. The answer floated farther away once I had my hands on them. I lifted watery eyes to look at Juvia, grateful words bubbling just behind my lips. Natsu seemed to be having a mini heart attack— _She's crying. Why is she crying? Juvia, you said this would make her happy!_ —but Juvia just smiled wider. She prompted me to try them on, and I ripped off my socks in my haste. One look at my toes, and I suddenly remembered why I covered them.

 _God, Lulu, you have such weird toes!_

I recoiled, clenching my socks tightly. "O-on second thought, maybe I'll just stick to my sneakers…" I mumbled, lifting my foot onto the couch to put my sock back on. I was stopped by a hand on my wrist.

"Woah!" Natsu exclaimed, staring at my feet. I turned bright red under his gaze, embarrassment and shame building up in me. I opened my mouth to apologize, but was cut off. "You have 'em, too!"

I stared at him blankly. "Huh?"

"Long toes!" Natsu explained, entirely too excited for comfort. Suddenly, he ripped his socks off, too, and pulled his feet up onto the couch beside mine. My eyes widened. His toes were long, too. "Igneel used to call 'em 'monkey toes.' Said it meant I was 'evolutionarily advanced.'"

Gray whistled. "That's a big phrase. Didn't know you had such a big vocabulary, Volcano Breath."

Natsu shot him a quick glare. "You're just jealous."

"Jealous of what?" Gray choked out, chuckling. "Of your proof that you never fully evolved from monkeys?"

"No, of this." Natsu picked up one of my stray pencils that I'd left on the coffee table and dropped it onto the floor. Without another word, he reached his foot down and gripped it in his toes, bending his leg to place it in his hand. I stared open-mouthed, but Gray snorted. He leaned over to me.

"Told you he was a monkey."

But I ignored him. I'd never seen anyone else do that. My mother had always told me it was a Heartfilia talent, being able to pick things up with our toes. I very rarely saw my mother bend over to retrieve anything she dropped. She always slipped her shoe off, hooked the item in her toes, and brought it up to her hand. As a child, I'd always been fascinated by it. It didn't matter how big or small the object was, Mama could grab it. My toes weren't nearly as skilled, but I'd grown up doing the same thing.

A wave of nostalgia hit me, and I took the pencil from Natsu. The argument him and Gray had been having stopped when I dropped the pencil back onto the floor. Natsu raised an eyebrow at me before reaching his leg over to pick it up again, but I stopped him. I was rusty—I hadn't done this in a while—and it took me a few tries to grab it, but I managed to grip the pencil clumsily between my toes. I held it suspended for a moment, just staring at it, before I brought my leg up to deposit it into my hand. A giggle escaped my lips before I could stop it, and my audience gave me looks of concern and bewilderment. Shaking my head, I let my giddy giggles come more freely.

"My mom had really long toes, too," I explained quietly, turning the pencil over in my fingers. "I can probably count on one hand how many times I saw her actually bend over to pick something up." I turned to Natsu. "She was a pro. Taught me how to do it when I was little. I thought it was the coolest thing ever…I stopped because Dan—" I choked slightly on his name. Taking a deep breath, I soldiered on. "Dan hated it. Thought it was super gross. He hated feet. Hated _my_ feet. Guess eventually I started to at some point, too."

The room was quiet for a moment, before Juvia broke the silence.

"Juvia really likes your toes, Lucy." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "You know what this means right? Now we _have_ to get pedicures. It's just a plain injustice to keep toes that cute covered up."

A small fraction of the smile I'd worn earlier wormed its way back onto my face. Natsu and Gray shared a look, then shrugged, smiling.

"One day can't hurt," Gray reasoned, shrugging again.

"Plus, you'll have Erza with you. You're safer with her than you are with either of us," Natsu inputted, crossing his arms. I chuckled quietly.

"Then why am I staying with you two, again?" I challenged, and we all laughed. I slipped the flip flops onto my feet, grabbed my wallet, and followed Juvia to the door. Casting one more look at the two men still seated in the living room, I smiled and waved. Then, I shut the door and followed Juvia down the stairs to her car.

We met up with Levy at Fairy Tail, where we ordered lunch. Mira and Lisanna joined us at our table, placing our orders in front of us. Levy introduced herself to the Strauss siblings, who then asked her how she felt about working with Gajeel. I had been expecting a grimace, but was surprised to see a slight blush dust across her cheeks. Interesting.

I wasn't the only one who noticed. Juvia dropped her chin onto her hands, supporting herself on her elbows, as she demanded more details. Levy's unwillingness to share only fueled the fire, and soon the Strauss sisters were laying into her as well. Erza joined us not too much later, waving off the offer of lunch, and we were on our way. She asked Lisanna how wedding planning was going, which started an entirely new conversation. I laughed, joked, offered advice on how to better deal with Gajeel, and splurged on outfits. I smiled more in those few hours than I had in two years. I could feel myself start to come out of my shell a little bit, wiggling my freshly pedicured toes to better feel the breeze as we walked from store to store. As the sun started to set, Juvia's phone went off.

"Hello?" she answered, sifting through shirts on the rack in front of her. "Ah, Natsu! It's very nice to hear from you." My heart did a stupid little flutter when she said his name, and she winked at me. I ignored her.

"Will Lucy be home for dinner?" she asked loudly, attracting the attention of the other women in our little group. I felt my face get uncomfortably warm under their scrutinizing gazes. "Juvia's not sure. Lucy, will you be _home_ for dinner?" she addressed me, grinning widely. I raised an eyebrow at her emphasis on the word _home_.

"I dunno, Juvia. You kidnapped me, remember?" I jested back, keeping the tone light. She giggled, turning her attention back to her phone.

"What are you making?" she questioned, fiddling with the hangers on the rack. I bit back a laugh at her conversational tone. Something changed in her face then. "We'll both be home for dinner," she announced suddenly, reaching over to grab my wrist. "We'll be home in fifteen minutes."

She hung up abruptly and started dragging me to the front of the store.

"Sorry, ladies! Lucy and Juvia have a date tonight, so we'll be going. See you soon!" she called over her shoulder, waving at them with her free hand. The women behind us whooped and cheered as she dragged me out onto the street.

"Why are you in such a hurry to get back?" I asked as I struggled to keep up with her pace. "And what do you mean _we_ have a date? What's Natsu cooking that's got you so excited?"

"Natsu's not cooking," Juvia explained, her pace never faltering. "Gray is."

Surprisingly, this was good enough for me. According to Gray himself, he wasn't as good a cook as Natsu, but to a woman in love that hardly mattered. I giggled quietly to myself as I continued to let Juvia drag me along. We made it back to the apartment in less than ten minutes.

"Welcome back!" Natsu greeted us from where he was setting the table. Gray waved from the stove in the kitchen, but didn't turn around. Juvia snuck up behind him, throwing her arms around him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He yelped at the surprise attack and complained, but I could see the light flush in his cheeks and the small smile playing on his lips. The whole scene warmed my heart. _That's_ what it was supposed to look like when a spouse greeted another from a day out. No smartass comments. No accusations. Just smiles and welcoming words. A small part of me felt cold, remembering how many fights Dan and I had over me spending time out. Remembering the last night I'd been welcomed home by him. The smile I'd sported the entire day began to slip from my face.

Just then, a weight settled itself across my shoulders. Natsu had thrown his arm around me.

"How was girls' day?" he asked, a warm smile on his face. I searched his face for any ulterior motives—why would he care—and was confused to find none.

"It was good…" I began warily, still watching his face. The smile never left, but he did remove his arm.

"Yeah? Did you guys get mani-pedis?" he asked, adopting a slight lisp. I laughed lightly.

"As a matter of fact," Juvia answered for me as she entered, carrying a pan. Gray followed close behind her, carrying two more. The smell of chicken and potatoes wafted into my nose, causing my mouth to water.

"Exciting~!" Natsu trilled girlishly, causing both Juvia and I to giggle. Gray rolled his eyes. "You guys, like, _have_ to show me!"

"After dinner," Gray insisted, spooning mashed potatoes onto his plate. He already had a few chunks of fried chicken breast and a small mountain of corn resting there. Juvia had speared two chicken chunks as well, accepting the potatoes from her boyfriend. Natsu had already covered two-thirds of his plate when the chicken was handed to me.

We filled our bellies as banter drifted around the room, along with warm laughter. The light was soft, casting gentle shadows across the room. That peaceful feeling washed over me again, pulling me out to sea. I retracted myself from the conversation, in which Juvia was recanting our "ladies' day," in favor of just taking in the scene in front of me. When Juvia would pause for too long, Gray would prompt her to continue her story. Natsu would insert his opinions and other miscellaneous reactions as she spoke, but he never changed the subject. Every now and then, he would turn to me and ask for my input.

As dinner wound down, I began to collect the dishes. With mine, Juvia's, and Gray's plates in hand, I made my way into the kitchen. I was just walking past the threshold when I made my mistake. There was a small strip of wood that served as a dividing line between the hardwood of the dining area and the tile of the kitchen. My bare foot caught on that strip, causing me to stumble. As I regained my balance, Gray's plate slipped from my grasp. It hit the floor hard, shattering. Time seemed to stop. I stared at the broken plate, the porcelain slivers spread out in all directions, and felt my heart begin to beat painfully again. Suddenly, there wasn't enough oxygen in the air.

"I…I'm sorry…" I breathed, unable to move. My voice seemed to break the spell. Natsu pushed his chair back, telling me not to move.

"Gray, go get the broom. Here, hand me the other plates. I'll take 'em—"

"No!" I snapped, more intensely than I'd meant to. "No," I repeated, quieter, "stay back. You'll get hurt. Here, give me the broom. I-I'll clean it up. I'm sorry. It was my fault. I'll clean it up." I was beginning to babble as I shakily set the remaining plates on the counter. Gray had returned with the broom, which I took from him. He made a motion to help, but I stopped him.

"You guys go ahead, do your thing. I made the mess, I'll clean it up." That had become my mantra: _I'll clean it up_. Dan's voice wasn't the one that rang clearly in my ears. This time, it was my father. _Look at what you did, Lucy! Look at the mess you made! Jesus…_ I slammed my eyes shut, trying to block it out. I was shaking harder now, gripping the broom handle to tightly I was sure my knuckles were white. _A lady shouldn't be this clumsy. These dishes were pretty expensive, too—_

"Lucy, breathe," Natsu's voice cut through the static in my head. I opened my eyes and his face was blurry. Bringing a quivering hand up, I rubbed away the tears I didn't know had filled my eyes. "It's okay. It's just a plate. We have more." His tone was light, carefree, as if he really didn't care about the plate. But plates were expensive. He had to be mad. He was just hiding it.

"I'm sorry," I whispered again, looking back down at the floor. I had succeeded in cleaning up absolutely none of the broken pieces. This only fueled my panicking mind. "I'll-I'll get this cleaned up. I'll pay you back—" His laughter cut me off, startling me.

"Pay for it? Lucy, why would you need to pay for it? It was an accident. It's not like you screamed ' _Opah!'_ and chucked it at the wall. Though, now that I think about it, that would've been hilarious." He gingerly picked the dustpan up off the counter, kneeling to position it so I could sweep plate chips in. Slowly, carefully, I began to.

"It's really not a big deal," he continued, eyes trained on the dustpan. "We bought those plates from the dollar store when we moved in. Not exactly the most durable stuff. I've broken more in a week than you have in the two weeks that you've been living here."

"That's not something you brag about, loser!" Gray called from the living room, and Juvia let out a small laugh. Slowly, my tense muscles started to relax again. Natsu threw me a smug smirk.

"And _Gray's_ broken more than I have! He's the one who screams and launches them at the walls."

"That was _one time_ , asshole! Let it go!" Gray realized his mistake five seconds too late.

" _Let it go, let it go! Can't hold it back anymore!"_ Natsu sang off-key. He threw his arms out in a flourish, spinning around the kitchen as he dumped the last of the broken plate into the trash can. To my surprise, Juvia joined in a moment later, sounding much more in-tune. Gray groaned on the couch, throwing an arm over his face.

"I walked right into that one," he conceded, letting out a long-suffering sigh. He turned to Juvia. "Et tu, Brute?" he demanded dramatically, causing her to laugh. Instead of answering, she lifted herself onto her knees and wrapped her arms around his head, singing louder.

" _Here I stand, and here I'll stay! Let the storm rage on!_ C'mon, Lucy!" Juvia encouraged, gesturing to me with her free arm. Natsu had stopped singing as well, and was looking at me expectantly. I glanced from him, to Juvia, to Gray and back before I took a deep breath.

" _My power flurries through the air into the ground."_ I sang solo. Natsu and Juvia cheered, and with each note I got more confident. I began to sashay around the room, spinning the broom in my hand as if it were a dance partner. It wasn't as fun as dancing with Natsu, but I didn't have to compare for long. Just as I was singing the last line of the bridge, Natsu swept me up into his arms, spinning me around the room.

" _Let it go! Let it go! And I'll rise like the break of dawn!"_ The three of us sung together in perfect unison, causing Gray to hide his face in his hands. I stepped out of Natsu's arms to pull Gray's hands away.

"C'mon, Gray," I laughed, begging him with my eyes. He glanced over at Juvia before he sighed again. He looked like he was going to argue, but Natsu shot him a meaningful look. Sighing again, he watched us for a moment longer before belting out the final verse alone.

" _Here I stand, in the light of day-! Let the storm rage on…"_ He held the note, then paused for dramatic effect. A wry smile etched its way onto his face. He wiggled his eyebrows at Juvia, pulling her into his arms as he finished the song. _"The cold never bothered me anyway."_ Then he pulled her into a short kiss.

That warm feeling was back in full force. Natsu had an arm wrapped around my shoulders again, and I turned into his chest, my hand resting there and my arm around his waist, both of us laughing. Gray pulled away from Juvia and she swooned in his arms, causing him to panic. This just fueled more laughter from us in the peanut gallery.

As we regained control of ourselves, Juvia checked her phone.

"Oh goodness! Juvia didn't realize it was that late. She has a shift in the morning." Juvia began to collect her things, only for Gray to stop her.

"You could...you know…stay here…tonight," he mumbled, and I couldn't help but crack up a little. Mr. Suave-two-seconds-ago was suddenly Mr. Shy. Natsu rolled his eyes and pretended to gag.

"Shut up! Just 'cause you don't have a girlfriend-!" The rest of his retort was cut off by Juvia jumping into his arms.

"Juvia thought you would never ask!" she declared, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. I shook my head and smiled, returning to the dining room to collect the rest of the dishes. Natsu wasn't far behind me.

As we began our washing and drying routine, I glanced at the clock. It was almost nine o'clock. I hadn't realized it was that late, either. Gray and Juvia shuffled into his room, him saying something about finding her something to sleep in, and suddenly Natsu and I were alone. All of the anxiety from my freak out earlier came creeping back up, and I shot a glance at him beside me.

"So, uh," I cleared my throat, catching his attention. He still had that gleam in his eye from earlier, and a small smirk played on his lips. The butterflies that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in my stomach betrayed me again. "I'm…sorry. For earlier. For freaking out like that."

Natsu's face remained passive. "I'm guessing Dan didn't like broken dishes?" he asked casually, keeping his eyes on the pan he was drying. I let out a humorless laugh.

"No, actually. My father didn't. I learned very early not to drop plates." I shuttered, remembering the consequences. Where Dan hated to raise his voice, my father almost always immediately resorted to it. I panicked anytime anyone yelled. The last month and some change had been a crash course in exposure therapy for me.

Natsu's jaw tightened, and he took in a sharp inhale.

"He didn't, did he?" He'd attempted to keep his tone light, but I could feel the weight of his anger. I handed him the last dish to dry, turning to face him fully.

"No, he didn't. As far as he was concerned, I shouldn't have had the dish in my hands to begin with." I lowered my voice in imitation. "A lady doesn't sully her hands with menial chores. Who says that to a seven year old?"

Natsu put the pan down, bracing himself on the counter with both hands. He kept his eyes clamped shut, but I could see pain etched across his face. I reached up and cupped his cheek in my hand, guiding his face to look at me. He opened his slanted, hazel eyes, searching my face.

"Hey, it's okay," I soothed him, resting my other hand on his shoulder.

"Have you had _any_ experience with someone who told you they loved you that wasn't predatory or painful?" he rasped, empathetic pain filling his eyes. It didn't feel like pity to me. Frozen, I considered his words. Then, I remembered the long conversation I'd had with my father three years ago. I smiled warmly.

"Yes," I whispered. "Three years ago, my father showed up at my apartment, out of the blue. Said he wanted to talk."

I looked Natsu in the eye. He looked warily curious, as if he wasn't sure he was going to like my story. Finding strength in his gaze, I continued.

"Turned out our company, Heartfilia Railways, had been bought out from under him. He'd lost everything. He said that losing his fortune had put things into perspective for him. Said he missed me, wanted to start over." I gave another humorless laugh. "At first, I didn't believe him. I let him know that one apology wouldn't make up for years of neglect…" I took a deep breath. "He said that he knew that, and that he could spend the rest of his life making it up to me and it wouldn't be enough.

"We decided to start small. Meeting for lunch once a week. Then, I would visit the apartment he was renting. Slowly, I began to come around more often. Every time he saw me, his face would light up…" I took a shaky breath. Tilting my head, I looked up into Natsu's eyes. "I haven't so much as spoken to my father in over a year. Dan wasn't a big fan of his. Said that everything he'd done in my youth was unforgivable. When I stopped seeing my friends, I guess I stopped seeing my father, too..." I trailed off. Natsu opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Gray entering the room. I took my hands off of Natsu and stepped away from him, feeling somewhat guilty.

Gray didn't eye us with the same look as he normally did. In fact, he didn't look at Natsu at all.

"Lucy…I just got off the phone with Gildarts. There's something you should know."

I sat on the couch in Gildarts' office, feeling numb. It didn't feel real. He couldn't be gone. I'd _just_ been talking about him. I waited patiently for one of the detectives to come into the room, tell me this was all an elaborate prank. Hell, maybe even _he_ would come in, apologizing profusely for playing such a horrendous joke on his own daughter. It had to be payback. I'd shut him out again, after I promised I wouldn't. He was just getting back at me. The door opened.

It was Gildarts.

"Lucy?" he said softly, closing the door and coming to kneel in front of me. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. We were looking for him, to let him know what happened, and stumbled across the files. Apparently, they attempted to contact you, but were unable to reach you."

"How long?" I croaked, interrupting him. Gildarts gave me a questioning look.

"How long what?" he asked gently, as if he were afraid of breaking me. I gave him a level look.

"How long has it been? When did they try to contact me?" I clarified evenly, my voice not even shaking. A war waged behind Gildarts' eyes before he answered me.

"About six months ago."

I closed my eyes. Six months ago. When had I missed a call six months ago? Suddenly, the memory came to me.

 _I was lathering up my hair when I heard my ringtone._

" _Dan?" I called, pausing the music on my shower radio. I waited for a moment before continuing. "Can you get that? It might be work-related."_

 _My ringtone cut off. I wondered if he'd ignored it, felt annoyance build up inside me, until I heard his voice from the other side of the door. I waited patiently until he was finished talking—he hated it when I interrupted him—then called out, "Who was it?"_

" _Wrong number," he answered after a moment's hesitation. I considered his answer for a moment before huffing. It was probably just a friend from work, wanting to know if I wanted to hang out. Guess that answered that question._

I took a steadying breath. That was the only time I could recall that Dan had answered my phone in the last six months. After that, I began taking it into the bathroom with me.

Gildarts began speaking again, giving me details. Apparently, my father had found out he had stage four cancer just under a year ago. There is no stage five. At the time, I'd stopped talking to him again. It wasn't worth the fights with Dan. My father was dying of cancer, and I had shut him out. I figured I should probably be feeling _something_ , _some kind_ of emotion, but I felt nothing. Suddenly, warm hands were running up and down my arms. I opened my eyes and came face to face with familiar hazel ones. Natsu.

"Luce," he breathed, trailing his hands down my arms one final time to rest them in mine. I vaguely noticed that we were alone; Gildarts must have left when Natsu entered. Natsu rested his forehead against mine, much the way he had when we'd danced the first time, and said, "It's okay to cry, Luce."

That one sentence broke the dam inside of me. Throwing my arms around him, I buried my face into the crook of his neck and cried. No, cried it too light of a word. I sobbed. I held onto him as if my life depended on it. Natsu sat down on the floor and pulled me into his lap, wrapping one arm around my waist, the other hand cradling my head. I sobbed and screamed and cursed for what seemed like hours, before I finally began to run out of steam. We stayed in that position for a little while longer, waiting for my shivering to subside, and then I was still. A loud silence had filled the room, but neither one of us made any move to break it. After what seemed like an eternity, Natsu started to stand, pulling me up with him.

"I wanna go somewhere," he announced, wiping the stray tears from my cheeks and straightening my hair. He grabbed both of my hands in his, bending his head slightly to look into my eyes. "Run away with me?"

A smile stretched across my lips, unbidden, and I nodded. Pulling me by my hand, he lead me out of the station, stopping only to grab a jacket off of his chair. We were met with questioning eyes that we both ignored. He loaded me up into the car we took to get to the safe house, and we were off.

He didn't tell me where we were going, and I didn't ask. We drove for about two hours before we reached the seaside town of Hargeon. When Natsu finally stopped the car, I shot him a questioning look.

"The beach?" I spoke, my voice hoarse from crying. He simply sent me a grin before getting out of the car, gesturing for me to follow. According to the dashboard clock, it was close to six-thirty in the morning, and the sky was just beginning to turn a pale blue. Sliding out of the passenger seat, I followed him onto the sand, where I stood beside him. I was about to ask what he were doing there, but he simply placed one finger against his lips and pointed the other one out over the water.

Just as I turned to look, the sun began to peak out over the horizon. Rays of gold sparkled on the water, and streaks of purple and red shot across the sky. I stared as the sun rose slowly over the ocean, light inching its way down the beach to us. As the first morning rays of sun hit me, an early fall breeze rolled in, causing me to shiver. Wordlessly, Natsu rested his jacket on my shoulders. Even though I knew he hadn't put it on since we'd left the precinct, it was still warm, and it smelled like him. I slid my arms into the sleeves and pulled it around myself, reveling in the feeling of safety that cocooned me. Keeping my eyes on the sunrise, I broke the silence.

"He wanted to fix things, Natsu." I couldn't feel his eyes on me, so I assumed Natsu hadn't looked at me, either. "I promised. A week before I met Dan, I promised I wouldn't shut him out again. A few months later, I stopped making an effort to see him." My throat tightened up again and tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. "What must he think of me now? I broke that promise." I looked down. "I'm a horrible person."

"Nah," Natsu replied nonchalantly. I stiffened. "You tried. Things got in the way. Sure, there are things you could've done differently, but that's the thing." He did turn to me this time, cupping my upper arms gently in his hands to turn me as well. "It's a coulda, shoulda, woulda. Something you can't change. Now, I didn't know your dad. Like, at all. But I can tell you that if he really loved you, he would be _so proud of you_ right now. You left an abusive relationship, and you are pressing charges. Do you know how brave that is? How many women return to their abusers, even after they've been almost killed? What you're doing right now, Lucy, that takes courage. That takes _strength_. Something you have in spades. It's one of the things I really admire about you."

I blushed, our eyes locking on each other. He admired me? Was I really all of those things he believed I was? My mind wanted to debunk them, but my heart refused to let it. Seeing the affection in his eyes as he looked at me, my heart soared.

"You really think so?" I asked, my voice small. He grinned big.

"Think? Nah, I _know_ so, and so do you. I wanna hear you say it." He looked at me expectantly.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow at him, not entirely sure what he was asking of me.

"I wanna hear you say it. I want you to tell me, right here, right now, that you're strong."

"Are you serious?" This had to be a joke. There was no way he was actually…

"As a heart attack. Say it," he demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. I gave him an imploring look.

"You can't really expect me to…" He stood his ground. I sighed.

"Fine," I whined. Quietly, I mumbled, "I'm strong."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear that," he taunted me, cupping his hand behind his ear. "One more time, a little louder." My glare seared into him.

"I'm strong," I repeated, a little louder this time. He still didn't look impressed. Vaguely, the memory of a Spongebob episode came to mind. _I'm ugly and I'm proud_ , indeed.

"I'm strong," I said at my full volume. Natsu shifted his weight to his other foot.

"Again."

"I'm strong!" I raised my voice again. Any louder and I would be shouting. Apparently, that was what he wanted.

"Louder!"

" _I'M STRONG!_ " I roared, my throat protesting my rough treatment of it. Natsu whooped beside me.

" _That's_ the ticket! Again!"

" _I'M STRONG!_ " I screamed again, feeling new energy fill me. A giggle burst past my lips. I bellowed the phrase again and again to the ocean, challenging Poseidon himself to argue with me. Natsu's own laughter filled the air as he jumped and cheered beside me, looking like an overgrown boy. An idea sparked inside me. I stopped yelling long enough to reach down and pick up a handful of sand. Before I could change my mind, I lobbed it at him, hitting him square in the back. He froze instantly. I began to wonder if I'd overstepped, if I'd crossed a line, when he turned to me and growled;

" _You are so going to pay for that._ "

And so, the most epic sandball fight of my life commenced. We spent hours at the beach, lobbing sand back and forth; smooshing it into each other's hair, shoving it down each other's shirts. There was a certain magic that surrounded us as we chased each other, not caring who stopped and stared. We danced, twirling each other and laughing out whatever song lyrics came to mind. For one day, I was absolutely and completely happy. As we drove back into Magnolia that evening, his hand clasped tightly in mine, I basked in the feeling of being in an amazing dream.

The funny thing about dreams, though, is eventually they have to end.

* * *

 **Oh my god, you guys, another chapter! So, I was definitely not planning on updating this soon. I started playing around with this chapter yesterday, taking a break from putting the finishing touches on my proposal, and was going to leave it at that. Unfortunately, the internet was down at work tonight, so I couldn't work on anything productive, so I sat down and wound up getting inspired! Just for the record, the toe thing I added in? Yeah, that's a thing that me and my family can do. We all have like, freakishly long toes. I almost never bend over to pick anything up.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed the shopping scene, and the _Frozen_ scene as much as I did. ****I know the _Frozen_ jokes about Gray are super cliched, but c'mon. Natsu would not miss that opportunity. Gray walked right into it. Plus, I just really liked the visual of Natsu, Lucy, and Juvia serenading Gray "Let It Go." I didn't plan it, y'all, it just happened.**

 **Speaking of things I didn't plan; I wasn't going to kill Lucy's dad off yet. Then I was writing her plate freak out, and they were talking about her dad, and I was listening to the _Moana_ soundtrack, and one thing just lead to another, okay? Sorry not sorry for the surprise angst in there.**

 **We've had another chapter of pointless fluff, so you know what that means. _The plot is afoot._ I have some ideas for plotty plot things, so I hope you guys are as pumped as I am.**

 **Again, I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed since the last update. I would also like to specially thank everyone for their supportive words in regards to my thesis proposal. It really means a lot to me guys, cause I am freaking out about it. As always, I can't promise when the next chapter will be out, but I'll do my best to get it out as soon as I can.**


	9. The Dream Ends

I woke feeling sore, itchy, and not at all well-rested. I pulled the comforter farther over my head, curling in on myself. I didn't want to be awake yet. To be awake would be admitting that what happened the other day was real. That my father was really dead. I took a deep breath and was greeted by the scent of campfires and saltwater. Raising an eyebrow, I opened one eye to an unfamiliar wall. Oh, that's right. I fell sleep on the way back from Hargeon yesterday. Natsu must have tucked me into his bed as opposed to leaving me on the couch. I was relieved—and mildly disappointed—to see that I was alone. I was just beginning to wonder where Natsu was when I heard a voice float in from the main room.

"You've really done it this time," Gray scathed. I flinched slightly at his tone. Three guesses on who he was talking to, and what they were discussing.

"Oh, get off my back, Jackass," Natsu growled back. I sighed and buried my face further into his pillow, my stomach twisting painfully. Gray only ever took that tone when they were arguing about me.

"You disappeared with a victim for an entire day, Natsu." Bingo. "What were you thinking?"

"Clearly, he wasn't thinking at all."

My eyes shot open in surprise. What was Gajeel doing here?

"There's a psycho after her, and you disappear with her. Without back-up. You're lucky Gildarts didn't take your piece and your badge for that. Where the hell did you go?" Gray's voice was angry, but there was an underlying current of worry.

"I took her to the beach. It was no big deal." I could practically _see_ Natsu shrug. Apparently, Gajeel disagreed, if the scuffling sounds were any indication.

"You took her to Hargeon? Two hours away? _With someone after her?_ " Gajeel demanded, voice practically shaking with rage. There was a small crash, which almost covered up a low grunt.

"I had my phone on me, I was armed, and she needed to get some air. She needed to get away for a while. Do you have any idea how stressful all of this is for her? Over the course of almost two months, she's lost her home, her boyfriend, and now her father. A lesser person would've broken a long time ago." Natsu's voice had softened as he spoke, taking on a warm quality that made my heart swell and race at the same time. I brought the comforter to my chin to cover my smile.

"So, you kidnapped her so you could take her on a date? Seriously? I get that you like her, but there's a time and a place," Gajeel sounded both incredulous and furious. I briefly wondered what his face must've looked like. It was probably purple by now.

"This isn't about me!" Natsu shouted, before lowering his voice again quickly. "It had nothing to do with how I feel about her. She needed a mental health day. That's what I gave her."

"So, you don't deny it," Gray said darkly. There was a pause before he continued, "That you like her."

"Of course I don't," Natsu stated. My heart squeezed. I knew it was too good to be— "It's pretty damn obvious that I like her. That doesn't mean I'm trying to date her right this second."

A breath I didn't even know I'd been holding was forced out of me. He liked me? How could he be so confident about that? How could he say that without any reservations? He sounded so comfortable with it… I lifted the comforter off my body, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. Scratching at my dry, rat's nest head of hair, I stumbled out of the bedroom and right in between Natsu and Gajeel. Both men stared at me in shock.

"Luce," Natsu breathed, a look of mild horror crossing his face. "I didn't know you were up."

I ignored him.

"Gajeel," I growled, fixing him with my best glare. The way he stiffened, I imagined that I must look worse than I thought. "Back off. He didn't do anything wrong."

"Actually, Lucy, he did," Gray cut in. "Talking you out of the precinct yesterday was super unprofessional—"

"I didn't ask if what he did was _unprofessional_ ," I spat, turning my glare onto the dark-haired man. He flinched. "Natsu didn't do anything wrong. Seriously, you've had this beef that I just don't understand since we first got to the safe house. I don't understand what's gotten your panties in a bunch, but it's starting to get old."

"My _beef_ ," Gray ground out, clenching his hands at his sides and leveling me with his own icy stare, "is how unprofessional it is for Natsu to pursue you while he works your case. It's against _protocol_ , Lucy. He's _not allowed to date you_ as long as he is involved in this case."

At this point, the color of Natsu's face was rivalling Erza's hair. He also had his hands clenched at his sides, but his head was ducked in uncharacteristic shyness. He almost looked like he was in pain.

"I _just said_ I wasn't trying to date her right now…" he mumbled. I felt irritation bubble up inside me, simmering just under my skin. I scratched at my arm in an attempt to liberate the wayward energy, but it only added fuel to the fire.

"I'm so sick of this!" I suddenly shouted, throwing my hands up in the air and scaring the hell out of the three men in the room with me. "It's like I don't even belong to me anymore! Not one of you, once, have asked me how I feel about any of this! You're all just sitting there deciding things for me!" I looked Gray right in the eye. "You think I don't know that Natsu and I can't be together right now? News flash, Jerk Wad! I wasn't even sure about how I felt about him until literally two seconds ago! And even if I _had_ figured it out sooner, I wouldn't have dated him right now anyway!" I turned to Natsu.

"We need to talk." Ignoring the other two men in the room, I gripped Natsu's wrist roughly and dragged him into his bedroom, slamming the door behind us. When I finally turned to face him, he was shifting his weight between his feet, scratching at the back of his head. He refused to make eye contact with me. Seeing just how uncomfortable he looked, I began to simmer down. "Look—"

He put his hand up to stop me, finally looking into my eyes.

"Can I go first?" I nodded silently, and he continued. "I didn't want you to find out like that. I wasn't going to say anything until after we had that bastard that hurt you," I was surprised when I didn't flinch, "behind bars. I'm not expecting anything from you!" he added hastily, putting his hands up in a surrendering position. "If you don't feel the same, that's totally fine! I really like being your friend, and I want to continue to be your friend after this is all over."

Natsu shifted again, breaking eye contact again. My heart warmed and swelled, and I couldn't help the small smile that crossed my face. After a small pause to collect my thoughts, I took my turn.

"I'd really like that. Staying in contact when all this is over, I mean." I took a deep breath, feeling my face heat up. It was now or never. Once these next words left my mouth, I wouldn't be able to take them back. Gathering up all of my courage, I looked in right in the eye. "I like you, too. And I would like to see where this goes—once all of this is over."

The smile he gave me damn near melted my heart.

"So, we're in agreement, then?" I raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding him. He put his hands into his pockets and visibly relaxed. "This isn't a rejection, and it's not really a confession. It's a…'to be continued'."

I smiled a little at that. A "to be continued," huh? I liked the sound of that.

"Yeah, a 'to be continued,'" I agreed. Natsu offered his hand to me.

"We'll discuss this again when things calm down. Until then, we're best friends. Shake on it," he insisted, stretching his hand a little. I raised an eyebrow. He couldn't be serious. His intense eye contact begged to differ. I sighed, unable to stop the giggle that escaped my lips. Shaking my head, I took his hand in mine.

"Deal," I said, giving his hand a firm pump. He returned it.

"So, we're cool?"

"Yeah, we're cool."

The door opened, revealing Gray.

"Sorry to break up this…whatever this is, but we got a tip," Gray said, waving his phone in his hand. Natsu's eyes immediately sharpened.

"They found him?" he demanded darkly, his hand tightening on mine. Gray shook his head.

"There was a sighting. Gildarts wants both of us." Gray addressed me. "You'll stay here with Gajeel. _You two will not leave this apartment_ , do I make myself clear?" Gajeel let out a growl in the living room, and Gray turned in the doorway. "Don't give me that. Lucy is our responsibility, so I want to know exactly where she is at all times." Gray shot Natsu a dirty look, to which the pink-haired man had the decency to look mildly guilty. I couldn't help the small giggle that erupted at his behavior.

Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll babysit Blondie. Don't worry, _we_ won't be taking any _field trips._ " Gajeel stated, also glaring at Natsu. This time, the man in question simply rolled his eyes.

"Okay, okay. I fucked up. Message received." Natsu gave my hand one more reassuring squeeze. "We'll be back before you know it. I'll give you a call on Metal Face's phone when we're on our way home, so be thinking about what you want for dinner." He released me and followed Gray out the front door.

"See you soon!" Natsu called over his shoulder, rushing to catch up to his partner. I walked out into the living room and waved, placing my other hand over my heart. When both detectives were gone, I sank to my knees.

"What am I doing?" I mumbled to myself, feeling my heart flutter under my hand. I closed my eyes, desperately trying to slow it down.

"I could ask you the same question," Gajeel groused, standing beside me. I shot him a look before standing back up and making my way over to the closet that held my suitcase.

"I'm going to take a shower," I informed him snootily, not caring if I offended him. I was still mildly peeved over his and Natsu's earlier argument.

"You do that, Blondie," Gajeel scoffed. Obviously, he was still pretty irritated with me. I turned on the ball of my foot, making my way back into Natsu's room, when Gajeel's voice stopped me.

"I'm just worried about you," he muttered. I spun around just in time to see him head for the kitchen. I opened my mouth to call him back, but something stopped me. I was still itchy and covered with sand from the beach, and I wasn't quite ready to have a civil conversation with him.

I showered quickly, pulling on a pink v-neck t-shirt and a pair of skinny jeans. My bare feet slapped loudly against the wood floors in the silence that surrounded me and my friend. He was sitting on the couch, thumbing through a notebook, his back to me. I stepped closer, drying my hair with my towel. It was getting longer, now stopping at the middle of my back. I examined the ends as I sat down next to Gajeel.

"So…" I prompted. He simply raised a pierced brow at me, indicating that he wasn't going to make this easy. I gave a long-suffering sigh before beginning again. "Look, I get that you're worried. I would be lying if I said I'm not either. But Natsu is a really good guy." I pulled my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around my thighs. "I've really gotten to know him over the past few months, and he treats me really well."

It was Gajeel's turn to sigh.

"I know Salamander is a good person," Gajeel confessed. I mouthed 'Salamander?', but he ignored me. "I don't know him that well, but everyone at the precinct has only great things to say about him. 'Oh, he helped me do this thing!' 'He solved this case really quickly!' 'He's so _funny_!'" I cringed at Gajeel's high-pitched, mocking tone. "It's just…Straight was a lot of those things, once upon a time, too.

"We never did tell you how we became partners, did we?" I shook my head in the negative. "About four years ago, Straight was transferred to Magnolia. No one knew why. A few days after he got there, Clive called me into his office. Said that he wanted to assign me as Straight's partner. Asked me to keep an eye on him. It wasn't until later that I realized why."

Gajeel paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. I waited patiently, silently, for him to continue.

"He would do anything to catch a perp, and I do mean _anything_. Things that were against the law. He would use excessive force, would pull false confessions from suspects during interrogations…I caught him planting evidence a couple of times."

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked quietly, trying to control my breathing. I wasn't getting any oxygen again. Why the hell couldn't I _breathe?_

"I did, a few times. Clive said he would look into it. He could never pin anything on him. Then, Straight met you…" Gajeel trailed off. Taking a shaky breath, Gajeel soldiered on. "He started to get better. He started going by the book, quit beating up on suspects. I thought…I thought…that you were helping him. So, the few times Straight fucked up I kept quiet. He was happy, you guys were living together, and I didn't want to make things harder for either one of you. He seemed to be treating you well, so I figured that he couldn't be all bad…"

Gajeel's eyes screwed up, like he was in pain.

"And then I got that phone call. That damn phone call from you, saying he hit you." His eyes shot open, and he grabbed my arms. "It was more than just him beating up on you, wasn't it, Lucy? Don't even try and argue. I've been looking into it. Your coworkers noticed a change in you. You stopped hanging out with them, stopped talking to them in the office. You started dressing different… He was hurting you, wasn't he. And I don't mean physically." It wasn't a question, so I didn't give an answer.

My stomach twisted painfully, and my heart started to beat harder. Sweat coated my palms, and I curled in on myself on the couch, wrapping my arms around myself. I had opened up so much in the last few months about Dan. I chanced a glance at Gajeel, weighing my options. I could deny everything. I could pretend like I had no idea what he was talking about, and spare myself the horrible aftermath. But did I want to? I had been dealing with things on my own for the past two years, and I was tired. Gajeel had been nothing but a good friend to me in all that time. I searched his blood-red eyes and saw something that surprised me: guilt. Realization hit me like a freight train. Gajeel blamed himself for this. For Dan putting me down and keeping me under his thumb for two years. For him beating me. My heart bled for the man sitting next to me, and I reached out to grab his hand.

"It's not your fault," I rasped around the lump in my throat. Tears built up in my eyes, threatening to fall. "None of it is your fault. There was nothing you could've done."

"There was plenty I could've done," Gajeel argued, voice uncharacteristically soft. His hand tightened around mine. "I'm a cop, Blondie. I could've gotten you out of there. I could've _saved you_ —"

"Now you stop that right there," I scolded, shooting him a glare. "Even if you _had_ known about what was going on, I wouldn't have cooperated." My gaze softened. "You did me one better, Gajeel. You let me save myself."

He looked at me shocked, but seemed unable to say anything. I gave him my best smile as I explained further.

"When I called you that night, you never once questioned me. You didn't blow me off. You came directly to the apartment, and let me make the decision on what _I_ wanted to do. You didn't pressure me to press charges, although I know you wanted to. You've allowed me room to grow and heal over these past few months, while making sure I knew that you were there for me. That's all I could ever ask for."

"But Lucy, none of it is your fault, either," Gajeel argued, looking a little misty-eyed. "He manipulated you, and convinced you of lots of things that weren't true. He isolated you so you felt that you had no choice but to stay." Obviously, I didn't look convinced, because he let my hands go. "What's it gonna take to prove that to you?"

"I have no idea," I breathed, turning away from him. "Time, maybe? How do you bounce back from this?"

"Therapy," Gajeel deadpanned, causing me to chuckle. I eyed him for another minute before I had an idea.

"How about this: we can't stop each other from blaming ourselves, yeah?" He seemed ready to argue, so I cut him off before he could. "So, why don't we make a promise."

"What kind of promise?" he asked warily.

"That I won't blame you for what happened, and you won't blame me. That way, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that even if the rest of the world is convinced it's our fault, we know one person who isn't."

Gajeel considered this for a moment. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then nodded at me.

"Sounds like you got yourself a deal, Blondie." Our conversation was interrupted by Gajeel's phone going off. He read the text message quickly before scrunching his face up.

"What's it say?" I asked, my curiosity piquing. Before I could read the message over his shoulder, Gajeel locked his phone and shoved it into his pocket.

"Shrimp texted me. Said she found the guy she thinks is working with Straight. Apparently, it was an inside job." His hands clenched into fists. "She wants me to meet her, but I can't leave you here alone. She doesn't want to call for back-up yet; not until she's positive that he's working with him."

He seemed so torn, it broke my heart. As much as he tried to hide it, he obviously cared about his petite partner. I reached out and touched his shoulder.

"So take me with you," I offered, not surprised by the way he stiffened under my hand.

"No way," he denied, shaking his head. "Nevermind what Queen Elsa would do to me, _Salamander_ would kill me if I let anything happen to you. No, we're staying here."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "What if Levy is in trouble? We can't leave her!" I knew that wasn't fair, but I was just as worried about Levy as he was. Gajeel warred internally with himself for a few moments longer before throwing his hands up with a curse.

"Fine! Grab some shoes and let's go. You stay _right beside me_ , understand? You say _nothing._ "

I nodded and slid my feet into my flip flops giddily, feeling like a little kid again. I knew this was serious, but a part of me was so excited. I was going to get to see a real interrogation! I quickly locked the front door with the spare key Natsu had given me, and rushed to catch up with Gajeel on the stairs. We loaded ourselves into his car and we were off. After about twenty minutes, Gajeel's phone dinged again.

"Can you check that, Blondie? Might be Shrimp." Gajeel gave me his passcode and sure enough, the text was from a contact labeled _Shrimp_. I giggled as I opened the text, reading over it. I opened my mouth to relay the message, but stopped when something occurred to me.

"Gajeel."

"What?"

"I don't think this text message is from Levy."

Gajeel jerked, turning his intense red stare on me.

"The fuck do you mean, you don't think it's from Shrimp?" he growled dangerously. I read over the message again.

 _Do you have Lucy with you?_ Even as I read the message, Gajeel's face stayed twisted in confusion. I swallowed.

"Levy doesn't call me 'Lucy.' She calls me 'Lu.'"

" _Shit_ ," Gajeel cursed, flipping a u-ey at an intersection. "Give me my phone." He quickly tapped a few buttons before putting the phone up to his ear. "Shrimp? Where are you?...It doesn't matter why I'm asking!...Have you been anywhere else today?...Are you alone?...Okay…Okay…No, stay where you are. Lock your doors and call the Captain. I've gotta get Blondie back to Salamander and Icicle's apartment…Okay…You, too." He hung up, hitting the gas.

"According to Shrimp, she's been home the entire day and hasn't spoken to anyone. How the hell did I get a text from her number if she didn't send it…?" Gajeel asked himself under his breath, running his hands through his long, black hair. I thought on this for a moment before the answer came to me.

"Those scammer sites!" I exclaimed, snapping my fingers. Gajeel gave a startled shout and turned to me, his eyes asking for clarification. "There are these websites you can go on where you can make a phone call or send a text message from any number you want. Scammers do it all the time. My cousin got caught up in a scam where the cons used the number for the police station to call her."

"It's gotta be Straight. He's probably waiting for us at the location he texted me. But how did he know I was with you?"

We slammed the car doors and Gajeel grabbed my arm roughly, pulling me up the stairs to Natsu and Gray's floor. I unlocked the door with shaking hands, falling through the door as I pushed it open. Gajeel caught my arm to keep me on my feet as we entered the apartment. I stumbled into the living room, about to sit down, when I heard a loud _thump_. Flipping around to check on Gajeel, I found him laying on the floor with a figure standing above him. My blood ran cold as I recognized ruddy-brown hair, blood-shot eyes, and khaki pants. It couldn't be. He couldn't be here. I was supposed to be safe. The man ran a hand through his shaggy hair, took a shuddering breath, then smiled at me.

"Time to go, Lulu."

* * *

 **Oh shit! An update! Sorry it's been so long, you guys. School has been royally kicking my ass recently. For those of you who are interested, I proposed my thesis and got the green light! I finally get to start on my research! I'd like to thank everyone who has given me words of encouragement. They were much appreciated.**

 **Now, I got a review asking if I based this story off of Taylor Swift's song "Begin Again." I mean, kinda? There were a few things that inspired this story. The idea first came to me while I was reading x-benihime's story _Heartstrung_ , which if y'all haven't read yet, DO IT. It's so good! Then, as I was formulating the plot, the song "Begin Again" came to mind. The song inspired the title. My final piece of inspiration came from the film _Safe Haven_ , based off the Nicolas Sparks novel. So, you were kinda right!**

 **We are in the final stretch, people! I'm anticipating maybe 2 more chapters, and then we're gone! Thank you so much for sticking with me, even with my crazy update schedule, and I hope y'all enjoy the rest of the story. As always, I'd like to give a special thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed since my last update. Y'all's support is what keeps me writing and updating. Things are getting a little crazy with school as I near graduation for my Bachelor's, so I can't promise when the next chapter will be uploaded, but as always I promise to have it out to you guys as soon as I can.**


	10. Saving Yourself

Next thing I knew, my head was pounding and I couldn't move my body. Waves of nausea threatened to drown me. I clamped my lips together, praying my dinner didn't decide to make a second appearance. I shifted slightly; okay, I was sitting in a chair. My wrists were tied behind my back and my ankles were secured to the front legs. The dull ache that had made itself known in my head began keeping time with my heartbeat. It began in my temple and branched out, sweeping through my brain. I risked opening my eyes, and was blinded for a split second. My second attempt confirmed that I wasn't blindfolded.

The room I had been placed in was unfamiliar and plain, with gray walls and concrete floors. A warehouse. I was in a warehouse. I rubbed my wrists back and forth, testing the constraints, but they held tight. My ankles were no better. Feeling bile rise in my throat again, I took a deep, calming breath. I had to keep my head. If I freaked out now, I would never get out of here. One wall held multiple large windows, the late afternoon light floating in. It was soft and warm despite the situation I was in. It reminded me of the days I would spend in South Gate Park, lying under the cherry blossom trees and reading whatever book had caught my attention that day. Sometimes I would fall asleep, waking just in time to see the last rays of sun disappear over the horizon. Would I ever get to do that again? Would I even live to see this sunset?

 _Stop it_ , I scolded myself harshly. Remember what Natsu taught you. Deep breaths. In, one, two three. Out, one, two, three. Again. Good. Nothing in obstructing your airway. You can get out of here, but only if you keep calm. Having a panic attack will only hinder you. Okay, good. Now, what do we know?

I considered this for a moment, looking around the room. Given the position of the sun, I would guess that it was late afternoon. Gajeel and I had left the apartment to meet up with Levy around ten in the morning, so I'd only been gone a few hours. It was very likely no one knew I was gone yet. Natsu and Gray were investigating a lead and would probably be busy for a few more hours before they got the chance to check in with Gajeel, and Gajeel…

I slammed my eyes shut and shook my head slightly, trying to will away the tears that sprang to my eyes and dislodge the lump that had settled in my throat. Keep it together, Lucy. Keep going. Go back through what happened. What else do we know?

Wait, we weren't going to meet Levy. She hadn't been the one to text Gajeel. We figured that out and went back to the apartment, thinking Dan was probably waiting for us at the location he had texted Gajeel. We got back, opened the door, I tripped…

That's right, Dan knocked Gajeel out. He grabbed my arm and tried to pull me along, but I screamed. Then there was pain in my temple, and next thing I knew, I was waking up tied to a chair. Dan must have brought me here, which means we were probably alone. The warehouse was probably abandoned. I scanned the room, looking for anything that would tell me what it was previously used for. It was open and expansive, though there was no equipment. Looking at the floor, I could see areas where it was slightly brighter, cleaner. I couldn't really make out the shapes of the brighter patches, but I could venture a guess that machinery had once rested there.

Okay, so I was in an abandoned warehouse. If Dan was smart—which I hated to admit it, but he was—I wouldn't have been left alone. Which meant Dan was around here somewhere. There weren't really any places to hide in the large room, but I felt eyes on me. I'd read once that humans have a sixth sense for things like that, like how you can always tell when someone is talking about you. Closing my eyes, I focused on my body, and where that feeling was the strongest. I had no idea if that was actually going to work, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment. The hair on the back of my neck was raised, as if lightening were about to strike.

 _Behind me!_ I thought frantically, struggling to turn around in my chair. I just barely caught a glimpse of brown hair as I craned my neck. Movement sounded behind me, and hands began to clap together.

"Very good, Lulu," the voice that had haunted my dreams for the past two months—no, the past _two years_ —praised me, his voice bordering on condescending. I bristled as Dan came into view, all shaggy hair and khakis.

Fucking khakis.

"I didn't think you'd be able to figure out where I was. Very ninja of you," he continued, pulling up a chair and sitting in front of me. His button-down shirt was wrinkled and his pants were stained. A black object rested heavily in his hand—his Glock. My heart sped up of its own accord. So _that's_ how he knocked out me and Gajeel. He'd pistol-whipped us. Very classy.

"You woke much faster than I anticipated. I was thinking I would get at least another hour before you joined me." I leveled him with my best death glare, clasping my hands together tightly. I would not let him see me scared. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He sighed heavily, shaking his head.

"This is getting very lonely, Lulu, being the only one talking. Let me hear that beautiful voice of yours. I missed it while you were away."

He spoke as if I'd been on vacation, not under protective custody. I pulled my lips over my teeth, feeling the blunt bone dig into the skin, forming a tight line. I wasn't giving him anything. Not anymore.

Another sigh. "I missed you, Lulu. And I know you missed me. C'mon, can't we just kiss and make up?"

He rose from his chair and leaned over to me, bringing his lips closer to mine. I turned my head away, but he grabbed my chin and yanked it back violently. I felt a sharp pain shoot through my neck—a crick—and let out a strangled cry of pain. Dan leaned down again, so this time I spat in his face.

He jerked back, releasing my chin and stumbling slightly. As he wiped the spit from his face, I took the time to roll my neck from side to side, stretching out the abused muscle. Dan turned back to me, slight anger starting to form on his features.

"Now that wasn't very nice, Lulu," he scolded, wagging a finger at me. "Spit stays in our mouths. I thought your father taught you better than that."

The jab hit me where it hurt. He _knew_ my father was dead—had known before I did. The information was still entirely too raw, scraping at my heart like a cheese grater. I could almost see the shavings fall to the floor. I jerked toward Dan, straining against my restraints.

" _Never speak of my father_ ," I hissed, my voice low. Dan looked mildly impressed.

"So, you've finally decided to join the conversation? About time. And no, I don't imagine he taught you not to spit on people. He didn't teach you much of anything, did he, Lulu? Other than how to lay down and take a hit," he spat, his face contorting with disgust.

I struggled harder against my bonds, shifting my wrists from side to side again. The ropes cut into my skin, burning it, but I didn't care. This asshole was _not_ going to talk about my father that way and get away with it. After two more good tugs, I felt something in my hand, startling me slightly. Feeling around for a moment, I realized it was the end of the rope. I strained to wrap my fingers around it, only barely succeeding. Digging my nails into the rough material, I flipped my wrist. The ropes loosened slightly. No way. I readjusted and tugged harder. My wrists were given more breathing room. My eyes shot back to Dan, but he was too busy still ranting about my father. He was distracted. This could work in my favor.

"And what right do you have to talk?" I taunted. Keep him distracted. Mountains of books had prepared me for this moment. What was the best way to cause a rational person to behave recklessly? Get him angry.

"Excuse me?" he whispered dangerously, finally turning his attention back on me. Shit. I didn't want him looking at me too closely.

"I was taking some literal blows last time I saw you," I clarified, turning my nose up at him. Mira and Lisanna's brother came to mind as I said my next line. "A real man doesn't raise his hand to a woman in anger."

Dan's eyebrow twitched. Good, I was provoking him. I thought back to every fight we'd ever had. What things upset him? Criticizing his ability as a detective was one, but I didn't know very much about that. Not to mention, after the outburst he'd had the last time we'd been together, I didn't want him to haul off and shoot me. What else? What _else?_

"Oh, you mean like that pink-haired detective you've been fooling around with?" Dan questioned darkly. A jolt ran through my heart. This was my in. This was exactly what I needed, but I didn't want to use it. _Not Natsu,_ I thought. _Anything but Natsu._

"Maybe," I hedged. I felt bile threatening to choke me again, and my stomach rolled. I didn't want to use Natsu to get at Dan. I didn't want to cheapen what I'd been feeling. I didn't want to make what Natsu and I had feel _dirty_. I didn't want to share him. But there was no other way. I sent a silent apology to the man, promising that I would make it up to him later, even if he would never hear any of this.

This one word lit a fire in Dan's eyes. He opened his mouth and began ranting a raving; accusing me of cheating, of doing it purposely to hurt him. He turned and started pacing, threatening to kill Natsu, to kill me, to kill anyone who got between us, and I gave the final tug on the ropes around my wrists, catching them as they fell away. I kept my arms tight behind my back, knowing it wasn't my moment, not yet. I needed to get my ankles out first. That was going to be much trickier. It was dumb luck that I managed to find the end of the knot around my wrists. I glanced down and saw that my ankles had been tied in much the same way, but I wouldn't be able to reach down and loosen the ropes without Dan noticing. I was shifting through every scene I'd ever read involving a kidnapping when I heard it.

I was faint, barely even there, but I'd heard it. The sound of footsteps. I cocked my head to the side, attempting to count the number of rescuers, but the echo made it impossible. The footsteps moved closer, and my heart rejoiced. Someone had figured out what happened. Someone had found me. Logic told me it was probably Gajeel—I felt my heart flip with joy that he was okay—but I was proven wrong.

"Put your hands up, Straight, and let the woman go," Natsu's voice called from somewhere in the room, but I couldn't pinpoint it. The echo from the concrete walls and floor bounced the sound, masking his actual location. I smiled slightly despite myself. That was pretty damn clever, Dragneel.

"Who's there?" Dan demanded, eyes shooting around the room. He lifted his hand and pointed his Glock at my head. "Show yourself, or I blow her brains out."

"You won't do that," Natsu countered, his voice being thrown from a different source. He was moving, but how was he staying out of sight?

Dan cocked the gun. "Try me."

There was a pregnant pause, and I could almost feel the cogs turning in Natsu's head as he tried to figure out what to do next. Dan huffed impatiently and placed his finger on the trigger. A few more seconds, and he was squeezing slightly.

"All right, all right. Slow down there, Slugger," Natsu said, stepping around a pillar, his own piece trained on Dan. "Let's talk this out. No need to get trigger-happy."

Dan turned to face him, aiming for Natsu's head. "One more step and I fire."

"No!" I shouted before I could bite it back, causing both men to stop and look at me. I squeezed the ropes in my hands painfully, working through the situation. Natsu was a cop, but so was Dan. Not to mention, he wasn't wearing a bulletproof vest. A bullet to just the right place would end his life where he stood, and Dan was an excellent shot. It was something he'd constantly reminded me of during the two years we'd dated. I grappled for something— _anything_ —to say, but Dan beat me to it.

"So it's true then," he snarled, looking back to the other detective. "You two _are_ sleeping together."

"Man, it was one night. We'd just gotten back from the beach, and that couch is damn uncomfortable—don't even try and argue with me, Luce—so I tucked her in to my bed. Figured she deserved it after a few weeks of torture. Guess I passed out, too." Natsu shrugged as he finished, the picture of relaxation. I couldn't tell if I wanted to protect him or throttle him. Dan was watching Natsu like a hawk, so I took the distraction to reach down and loosen the ropes around my ankles.

"You slept in there with me?" I demanded, forgetting myself for a moment.

"Well, duh. Where did you think I slept?" One ankle down, one to go.

"On the couch!" I squeaked. Natsu shot me a quick, amused look.

"It's not a big deal, Luce. It was only a couple hours. I kept on my side."

"I can't believe you," I muttered, glaring at his smug face. "If you wanted to sleep in your bed, you should've left me on the couch. It's not _that_ uncomfortable." There's the other one. I was free.

"Bullshit," he argued, his face turned to me, but his gun trained on Dan. "And I had no problems with you sleeping in there with me." His face flushed slightly, and he gave me a boyish grin. "It was nice, actually…"

I smiled back, feeling oddly comforted by our familiar banter, when a loud bang rang out. Time stopped. It was almost as if all the sound in the world had been sucked into a void. Natsu looked down to his abdomen, where red had begun to bloom on his gray t-shirt. His gun began to lower, and he fell to his knees. His eyes met mine again, wide and slightly afraid, before he reigned in his own terror and smiled at me.

"Don't worry, Luce. It's gonna be…" He didn't finish. He fell forward, clutching his stomach. I watched in horror as blood began to pool around him on the floor.

" _No!"_ I screeched, running toward him, not caring if Dan knew I was free. It didn't matter. Natsu was way more important. I had to help him, and fast. I'd heard on a medical show once that stomach wounds were, statistically, the most fatal. I had almost reached him when I heard another bang, and pain exploded in my shoulder. I let loose a scream as I skidded to a stop on my knees.

"Now, now, Lulu. Don't make me kill you, too," Dan chided, clicking his tongue. Anger and disgust rolled through me painfully, and I clenched my fists.

"This is all your fault, you know. If he hadn't met you, he would still be alive. He wouldn't've come here, looking for you, and wouldn't've gotten shot. Though, in the short time we worked together, he did piss me off. Maybe my finger would've slipped anyway."

Rage bubbled up within me, causing me to see red. I glanced down and noticed Natsu's Glock in the ground not but a few inches from my own hand. Letting out a roar of anguish, I grabbed the gun, rolled up onto my feet, and pointed it at Dan. Right between the eyes. It could all be over. I had to make this quick. I'd seen Natsu's back rising and falling faintly, but that wouldn't last for long. He was running out of time.

"What are you going to do, Lulu? Shoot me?" Dan sneered. "You won't. You know you won't, and you know I know you won't. Because you still love me." I flinched. "There's a part of you—a large part, if I know you—that still cares. That still wants to be with me. That still wants to _please me_." Tears began to stream down my face. "You don't want to do this. You _can't_ do this. You don't have the guts." My arms began to shake. "You're not a killer, Lulu. You still love me, and you know I'm the only one who can love you. No one will ever love you like I do. Come back to me, and we can put this all behind us."

He said that, but he never took his finger off the trigger. I took shaky breaths, trying to hold back my sobs, and began to lower my gun. Dan smirked at me, a dark, _evil_ look, and scoffed, turning his head slightly. His eyes left me, and his finger began to put more pressure on the trigger. A shot rang out, and a body fell. Blood pooled around the head wound, and a horrified sob racked my body. I dropped the gun and fell to my knees, using what little strength I had left to turn Natsu's body over.

Blood was pumping slowly out of the wound in his stomach, but his chest was still rising and falling. He was still breathing. Not caring about propriety, I yanked my shirt over my head, balled it up, and put all my weight on his wound. His entire body shuttered, and he groaned in pain.

"Natsu, Natsu, I'm sorry," I sobbed, lifting up onto my knees to put more pressure on his stomach. "It's gonna be okay. I'm gonna get you help." I moved one hand to feel his pockets, trying to find his phone.

"Man…feeling me up…before…the first date?" he teased, barely opening his eyes. I glared at him as I located his phone, reaching into his pocket to retrieve it. "And I even…got you naked…score…"

I let out a watery chuckle. "You could've at least bought me dinner first," I replied, leveraging myself off the floor again as I pressed the home button on his phone. It was password protected. Damn it. "Natsu, what's your phone passcode?"

"Already…going through…my phone…" he rasped, a small grin playing on his lips. He coughed, splattering blood across his lips. "Never took you…for the crazy…type…"

"This isn't funny!" I snapped, hysteria beginning to set in. "I need to call for help! What's your damn passcode?!"

"Luce," Natsu said seriously, grabbing my hand holding his phone in his own. I clutched his for dear life. "Where's Straight?"

"He's—" my voice cracked. I glanced over at his unmoving form, a fresh wave of nausea hitting me. Natsu's hand tightened on mine. I opened my mouth to explain further, but was interrupted by Natsu coughing. I placed his free hand over his wound, making sure he was applying pressure before moving mine to pull his head up. I cradled it in the crook of my arm, trying desperately to hold on to what little warmth he had left. He was getting cold so fast.

"Luce, I gotta tell you something," Natsu whispered, trying to move his head closer to mine. I leaned down to accommodate him. He took a shallow breath before continuing. "I really…like you. I just wanted you…to know. One more time…before…"

"Don't talk like that!" I yelled, clutching him tighter. "You're gonna be just fine. We were supposed to talk about us when all this was over. Well, it's over, so let's talk about us." He gave another shallow, shuddering breath, and I panicked. "You're gonna walk away from this, and we're going out on a date."

"Where…will we…go…?" he questioned, eyes beginning to dull. I blinked back tears.

"To the movies. We'll go see an action movie, or maybe a horror movie so I can pretend to be scared, just for an excuse to touch you. You'll know that I'm faking, but wrap your arm around me anyway. Then, we'll go back to your apartment, and you'll cook. You'll cook that spaghetti dish you made that first night—the spicy one—with garlic bread, and we'll discuss the movie. We'll talk for a few hours, then you'll walk me to the door. You'll be too nervous, so I'll kiss you goodnight before I leave. How does that sound?" I asked, searching his eyes. A small, wistful smile crawled onto his face.

"Sounds…real nice…Luce. Can't wait," he breathed, eyes sliding shut. His breathing became slower.

"No, no, no, no, no, no," I begged, moving my hand out of his to cup his face. He stopped breathing entirely. I slid him down to the floor, careful of his head, before I moved my hands to his chest. I counted to thirty as I pumped as hard as I could. I didn't care if I broke his ribs.

"You are _not_ dying on me, Natsu Dragneel!" I grunted, plugging his nose and cupping his chin. I smashed my mouth onto his, pushing a lungful of air down his throat. His chest rose as air filled his lungs, and I moved back to begin pumping his chest again. After a few repetitions, I rested my ear against him. Nothing. I had just begun chest compressions again when a stampede of footfalls echoed through the room. The cavalry had arrived.

Too bad they'd arrived too late.

" _Save him!_ " I screamed as Gray burst into the room in full Kevlar, an entire SWAT team on his heels. " _He's not breathing. Save him!"_

The next few minutes were agony. I was pulled off of Natsu and replaced with EMTs. I kicked and screamed and begged not to be taken away from him as the professionals worked, pumping his chest again and again. Gray wrapped his arms around me tightly as I sobbed, apologizing over and over again, letting him know that this was all my fault. Natsu was gone, and it was all my fault. My cries were cut off abruptly by one sentence, spoken by what I considered to be an angel.

" _We have a pulse."_

Over the course of the next few hours, I was carted off to the hospital and questioned by multiple police officers. A detective with bright blond hair and a lightening scar across his eye, Laxus Dreyer, handcuffed one of my wrists to my hospital bed and ignored all of my pleas to see Natsu. _He's still in surgery_ , he said. _No one can see him yet._

Eventually, a green-haired man who I recognized as Dreyer's partner requested a word with the man. I stared blankly at the wall as I waited for the two men to come back in. My heart sped up as I considered the possibility that Natsu may not have survived. Judging by the cuff around my wrist, I could venture a guess that I was under arrest for shooting Dan. Pain spiked in my heart at the thought. I had killed him. Taken his life. Stolen any possibility of a future. A great, big portion of me was horrified with what I'd done, but there was a little, niggling part of my brain that was relieved. He couldn't hurt anyone else, I'd made sure of that.

Both men walked back into the room. Dreyer caught my eye and I stared up at him hopefully.

"Please, is he okay? Just tell me if Natsu's okay. That's all I ask," I begged, my bottom lip trembling. Dreyer stared at me for a few long moments before sighing, closing his eyes and rubbing them with his thumb and forefinger.

"Yeah, he's gonna be okay. Doc says that it was a close call, but he's gonna pull through." He put up his hand to stop my next inquiry. "No, you can't go and see him. He's not awake yet, and after he wakes up, we're gonna have to question him." Dreyer turned to leave—Detective Justine was obviously taking over babysitting me for him—but he paused at the door.

"You might want to get some rest. You've had a long day, too."

I tried to take his advice over the next couple of days; really, I did. I tossed and turned, most likely annoying the hell out of whichever detective was watching me, but sleep evaded me for the most part. My short naps were fitful, filled with Dan's taunts and Natsu's raspy breathing. I was in the middle of a nightmare, one where Natsu hadn't survived, when the door to my little room was pulled open.

Captain Gildarts Clive stepped into the small space, Detective Droy standing at attention at his entrance. Clive waved him off, suggesting that he go get a cup of coffee. He waited until the door clicked shut before taking a seat next to me.

"How ya holdin' up, kid?" he asked kindly, giving me a warm stare. I swallowed, my throat dry from interrupted sleep.

"About as well as you could expect," I replied quietly. I searched Gildarts' eyes before I asked the same question I'd been asking for days. "How is Natsu?"

"He's awake," Gildarts informed me, letting go a small chuckle. "Been all up in arms, demanding to see you. Just spoke with him, actually."

I stiffened at the sharp edge in his tone. My shoulder was healing up nicely; I'd probably be allowed to leave the hospital today. Then I would most likely be arrested for murder. I pushed that to the back of my mind, relieved that Natsu was doing well enough to give the others hell. Gildarts then asked me to recount what had happened. I told him the entire story, the same as I had a million times by now, leaving nothing out. When I was finished, he studied me for a while, searching my eyes for something. After what felt like an eternity, Gildarts leaned forward and unlocked the cuff around my wrist. I raised a questioning eyebrow at him as I rubbed my bandaged wrist.

"Your story matches that of the witnesses. After careful deliberation, we have decided not to charge you. Dan Straight's death has been ruled involuntary manslaughter, in self-defense."

"What does that mean?" I asked, not quite understanding what was going on. What he going to arrest me or not?

"It means, Miss Heartfilia," Gildarts stated slowly, "that you are free to go." A cheeky grin crossed his face. "I imagine you have other business to attend to." He stood up, offering me his hand. I took it gratefully, allowing him to help me to my feet. "Room 527, right down the hall. He was moved there this morning."

I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. Before I knew it, I was running down the hall, barely avoiding running into nurses and other patients alike. _524, 525, 526…527!_ Found it! In my eagerness, I didn't even knock. I tore the door open, rushing into the room and seeing pink hair and bright eyes. He turned from his argument with Gray to smile warmly at me, opening his arms and beckoning me forward. I gave a sob of relief and launched myself into his arms, burying my face into his scarf. How the hell had he even convinced the nurses to let him wear it?

"Missed me, did you?" he chuckled. A breathy laugh escaped me as I squeezed him, feeling him flinch. I loosened my hold, moving to get off of him, but he tightened his arms around me.

"Yeah, yeah I did," I confirmed, moving one hand up to cradle the back of his head. He nuzzled into my shoulder, his own beginning to shake. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Nah," he crooned. "It'll take more than a measly bullet to the stomach to take me out!" he announced, pulling back and jamming a thumb at himself. Out of nowhere, Gray reached out and slapped him on the back of the head.

"You idiot! We _did_ lose you for a second there!" he growled, worry lacing his tone. I gave him an apologetic look, about to let the 'sorry's fall from my lips, but he simply reached out his other hand and caressed my head.

"I wanted to thank you, Lucy," he said, smiling. "Porlyusica said that your CPR is what kept his blood pumping until the EMTs got there and restarted his heart. If it hadn't been for you, he would've been completely dead, instead of mostly dead. You _saved his life_ , Lucy, and for that, we are all eternally grateful."

Tears spilled down my cheeks, and I pulled Gray in for a hug. Tugging on him until he sat down on the hospital bed, I wrapped my arms around both men.

"I'm so sorry, guys!" I cried, cradling them against my shoulders. "This is all my fault! It's my fault Natsu died, and is now in the hospital, and my fault that Gajeel— _Gajeel!_ " I exclaimed, pulling away from both men. Fear shot through me. The last time I'd seen him, he was unconscious on the floor of the apartment. What if…what if Dan killed him? Oh god, he was probably dead because of me.

"Calm down, Lucy!" Gray broke through my panic attack, grabbing my shoulders roughly. "He's okay! He's got a mild concussion, but that's all! Levy's been watching over him the last few days."

I let out a sigh of relief, slumping over. A dam seemed to break inside me, and a wave of fatigue washed over me.

"It's over," Natsu mumbled, cradling me into his arms again. His strong arms supported me, and for the first time in a long time, I shared my burden. "It's finally over."

"Not quite," I said, snuggling up to him. I reached out my hand blindly, feeling Gray's icy one take it. I smiled a little. I glanced up tiredly, taking in the confused expressions on my favorite two men's faces. Sighing, I closed my eyes again and began to explain. "We still have to heal. Healing from trauma is messy, and it's confusing, and it takes work. It'll be a long time, and a lot of heavy lifting, but in time, things will get better. Until then, it won't be over. We can't make everything that's happened magically go away, and it has changed us in major ways, but we can accept and learn to love the people we've become. Only then, only when things are 'okay' again, will this truly be over," I finished, cuddling further into Natsu's arms and tightening my hold on Gray's hand. There was a long, stunned silence before I heard chuckles float through the air.

"Show off," Gray teased, ruffling my hair slightly.

"Man, you should write or something. You're real good with words," Natsu added, resting his head on top of mine. A warm, safe feeling seeped into my very bones and soon enough, I was laughing with them. For a moment, I was completely at ease. I knew this moment wouldn't last forever—it probably wouldn't even last an hour—but for the time being, in our little cocoon, we were safe. We were loved. We were invincible.

And I would cling to those moments for as long as I could.

* * *

 **Okay, guys, so you have x-benihime to thank for this chapter. She updated and finished her fic _Heartstung_ today and _damn._ It was so good! I loved it! Like, I'm not crying, you're crying, shut up. Anyway, I read the last chapter and then the epilogue and was just _inspired_. I _had_ to write this all down. Some things happened exactly as I had planned them, some things popped out of nowhere, but all in all I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I know I'm pretty pleased with it.**

 **There will be at least one more chapter, in way of epilogue, so don't worry. We aren't quite finished just yet! Stay tuned.**

 **Again, as always, I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed since, you know, yesterday. Your encouraging words and continued support are what give me the confidence to post my writing, and I absolutely love hearing what you guys think. Your thoughts, theories, and encouragement never fail to bring a smile to my face.**

 **I have absolutely no idea when I will have the epilogue up (this chapter kinda burned me out, you guys), but I will definitely update as soon as I can.**


	11. Epilogue: Never Be Alone

It was the same dream, every time.

We were in the warehouse, Dan ranting and raving while I was tied to a chair; only this time, I wasn't able to free my hands. Like clockwork, Dan would accuse me of sleeping around—most often with Natsu, but sometimes with Gray or Gajeel—and I would hedge around the accusation to piss him off. As if summoned by his name, Natsu would appear, gun trained on Dan. The two would argue as I struggled, already knowing how it would end. Natsu would attempt to calm me down with banter, always ending with him being shot. This time, however, instead of being able to perform CPR, I would be forced to watch as he bled out. Dan would laugh and kick his body, mocking my screams and struggling. Then, he would grow annoyed and point the gun at my own head. He would ask me if I loved Natsu that much, then place the gun gently against my head. _Then join him_ , Dan would say, and then pull the trigger. Each morning would find me tangled in my sheets, heart racing and drenched in sweat.

"Lucy?" a voice prompted me, pulling me back to reality.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Dr. Crux regarded me for a moment, running a hand over his mustache. I'd shot Dan nearly six months ago, and had been seeing Dr. Crux for the last two. Court-ordered, boyfriend-encouraged. It was slow going, and so far I wasn't making a whole lot of progress, but I had been assured that that would only come with time. Dr. Crux had enough patience for both of us, and never seemed to judge me for anything I said. He never flinched when my voice got a little too loud, and never interrupted me. When I was silent, he would prompt me gently and when I evaded, he would calmly steer us back on track. Glancing at the clock, I realized with a twinge of guilt that I had been sitting, silent, for at least the last eight minutes. I must have gotten lost in thought while telling him about my dreams. I opened my mouth to apologize for this, but he waved me off.

"I think this is a good stopping point. You've made some excellent progress today, and I hope you feel comfortable telling me the rest of your dream next week. Now, what is your affirmation for this coming week?" Dr. Crux asked, picking up his pen again. Weekly affirmations were a coping tool Dr. Crux had encouraged from our first appointment in order to battle my negative self-esteem. I had to pick something positive about myself, and look in the mirror and repeat it back to myself at least once a day. He said it could be anything, so the first couple of weeks I chose smart-mouthed phrases, such as "I have nice hair" and "My nails always look nice." Surprisingly, Dr. Crux never showed any annoyance at this. As time went on, I began to choose phrases that meant a little more to me, like "I'm a decent writer" and "I sing well."

I thought about my affirmation for a few moments.

"I cook well," I answered him. Dr. Crux smiled.

"Has Natsu been teaching you? You mentioned last week that he offered."

"Yes," I confirmed, smiling to myself. In truth, Natsu had been offering to teach me to cook for months now. Apparently, Igneel was pretty useless in the kitchen, so Natsu did most of the cooking. He told me that his first few attempts were pretty awful, but as time went on, he got pretty decent at it. When Igneel disappeared, Natsu began to really work at it, knowing how much Igneel loved food. He had wanted to cook him a feast when he returned, but was never able to. After Igneel died, Natsu stopped cooking for a while, only starting up again when Erza and Gray informed him that they just _couldn't_ get this one dish right. Annoyed, he had showed them, and it reignited his love for the craft.

I glanced down at my watch and grimaced. I was running late. As if sensing my urgency, Dr. Crux shut his notebook and stood.

"That's great to hear. I'd like to hear more about what dishes you are working on next time. Have a good week, Lucy, and enjoy the wedding!"

I smiled a little wider as I opened the door to his office.

"Sure thing, Dr. Crux. See you next week!" I waved, closing the door behind me. I checked my phone as I stepped out onto the street, noticing a missed call from Gajeel. Dialing him quickly, I unlocked my car door and slid into the driver's seat.

"Redfox," his gruff voice greeted, sounding slightly distracted.

"Hey, Gajeel. I'm really sorry, I was in session. I know I'm running a little late, but I'm on my way to the church now," I babbled, turning onto the street. Gajeel huffed.

"Calm down, Blondie, it's fine. I was just gonna ask if you could stop by your apartment on the way here and pick up my tie? I forgot it over there last night," Gajeel added under his breath, and I could almost see him shaking his head. I giggled as I turned onto mine and Levy's street.

Shortly after I'd been released from the hospital, I'd realized that I didn't particularly want to live alone. I'd been waking up from pretty gnarly nightmares, after which I would get up to check my locks and then spend the rest of the night on the couch, watching TV. Natsu and Gray both offered for me to just move in with them permanently, but with how new mine and Natsu's relationship was, I wasn't entirely comfortable with that. Mira, Lisanna, and Elfman's house was a little too crowded for my liking, and Gajeel's apartment was a little cramped. That's when Levy stepped up to the plate. She had a spare bedroom and had been looking for a roommate for a while. Unfortunately, there was only one bathroom, but both of us were pretty clean people, so we didn't have too much of an issue with it. Living with a detective calmed my troubled mind a little, and it was pretty close to Natsu and Gray's, so I would be able to visit them often.

Living with Levy was nice. I'd recently returned to my job at _Sorcerer Weekly_ , so we both had pretty hectic schedules. Days off were spent curled up on the couch, her reading and me writing. Her and Gajeel were still dancing around each other, but it seemed like they were becoming closer by the day. Levy had informed me that they had some stuff in their past that they were working through, but didn't go into further detail.

I pulled up in front of the church, tie in hand, and was greeted by a frantic Mira.

"Lucy, thank goodness!" she gushed, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. I chuckled and patted her awkwardly on the arm.

"Yes, I survived downtown traffic. What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be inside, getting ready?" I asked, glancing back down at my watch. Since I had been running so far behind, I knew I'd be sneaking in just as the ceremony was set to start.

"Oh, well yes, but I had to make sure you got here okay! Come on!" Mira dragged me into the church, dropping me off with Levy and Gajeel outside of the main room. "I need to go check on the other bridesmaids, not to mention make sure the maid-of-honor has everything." She sent me a wink before sweeping away, lost in a daze. I chuckled again, shaking my head and offering Gajeel his tie. Levy took it before he could, hopping slightly to sling it around his neck and drag him down to her height.

"Ow! Watch it, Shrimp, or you'll break my spine! I can do it myself…" Gajeel griped without any real heat. Levy simply rolled her eyes.

"It's faster if I do it." She finished knotting it and spun him around, shoving him through the door. "C'mon, Lu! We gotta take our seats!"

The main hall was draped in dark purple and pale blue. The two colors surprisingly complimented each other, the blue muting the purple slightly and the purple making the blue pop. I smiled as I compared the colors to the bride and groom. It fit.

The crowd began to quiet down as music began to play. The precession made their way down the aisle, led by Natsu and Freed Justine. Natsu winked at me on the bride's side as he passed, taking his spot as the maid-of-honor. When everyone was in place, the groom made his way down the aisle, bright green eyes practically dancing with joy. He clapped hands with Natsu as he stopped opposite him. Both men turned when the music changed, signaling the entrance of the bride.

All stood as Lisanna glided down the aisle, escorted by her older brother. Apparently, their parents had passed away in the accident that almost claimed Lisanna as well, so it was up to Elfman to give her away. When they reached the end of the aisle, both Elfman and Mira were openly sobbing. Even Natsu's eyes were looking a little misty.

The rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch. Detective Conbolt's son Romeo acted as ring bearer, and Alzack and Bisca's daughter Asuka was the flower girl. Natsu dutifully held Lisanna's bouquet as her and Bixlow exchanged rings, and offered her a tissue when her happy tears threatened to overflow. With a sweet kiss, the couple was announced man and wife. Rowdy cheers filled the church, and nothing but joyful faces could be seen. Bixlow gathered Lisanna in his arms and carried her back down the aisle, calling out that they would see everyone at the reception. The precession filed out after them, Natsu sending me a happy, beaming smile as he passed. My heart warmed seeing him so happy.

As I entered the reception hall, I was startled by an icy hand on my arm.

"Sorry, Lucy!" Gray, the owner of said icy hand, exclaimed, holding his hands up apologetically. "I didn't mean to scare you!"

"It's cool," I waved him off, rubbing some warmth back into my bicep. "So, did you enjoy the ceremony?"

"Yeah, it was great. Natsu was crying, the pansy-ass," Gray laughed, dodging out of the way of my jabbing elbow.

"Hey! There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting emotional at weddings!" I defended. Two familiar, warm arms wrapped around my shoulders.

"Yeah! You should listen to the lady, Gray. She's smarter than you," Natsu taunted. I smiled warmly, relaxing into his hold. He rested his chin on my shoulder, using me as a human shield.

"Like I don't already know that," Gray agreed, ruffling my hair slightly. "But don't think you'll get away with insulting me by complimenting your girlfriend."

Gray opened his mouth, most likely to let loose a jab, only to be tackled to the ground by a streak of blue.

"My love!" Juvia called, cuddling up to him. "You looked absolutely dashing as a groomsman! Juvia loves the suit. Oh, hi Lucy, Natsu!" she acknowledged us, waving slightly.

"Hi, Juvia," we intoned together, laughing.

"So, are you gonna go for the bouquet?" I asked, resting a hand on Natsu's arms, tapping twice. He immediately let me go, stepping to the side to give me space. A fire lit itself in Juvia's eyes.

"Oh yes," she practically hissed. "And Juvia is going to catch it. Juvia will be the next one to get married, mark her words!" she announced, standing tall and haughty. I couldn't help but laugh at how pale Gray's face had become.

"Maybe you should check in with your groom-to-be first, hmm Juvia?" Natsu advised, also laughing at Gray's expense.

We moved to our seats at the bridal table, cheering for the newlyweds and laughing at the speeches. Natsu's was fairly heartfelt, even if he did promise no one would even miss Bixlow if he ever hurt Lisanna. Cake was cut and consumed, and then the happy couple shared their first dance. As the rest of the guests joined them on the dancefloor, I rested my chin on my hand and observed. Lisanna was practically glowing, laughing as Bixlow dipped her. He brought her back up and pulled her close, whispering in her ear. She smiled softly as she listened, nodding along to whatever he was telling her. Sighing happily, I closed my eyes and let the feeling of peace wash over me.

When I opened them again, I found Natsu twirling Wendy around the floor. Her long blue hair was pulled up into an elegant bun, her pale pink dress caressing her like a gentle breeze. She was laughed, using both hands to spin them both around backward, their hands still connected. I giggled as I remembered the help teaching me that move when I was a little girl. Mrs. Spetto was particularly fond of doing that one while we danced to old Beetles records. I sighed again, focusing on my energetic boyfriend.

His pink hair was slightly disheveled from all of the dancing, his face pink from laughter. His hazel eyes sparked with mischief as he lifted Wendy high, spinning her around as he did so. His pale blue tie had loosened since the ceremony, though he had managed to keep it on at least. His eyes met mine and warmed, a smile sweeping across his lips. He whispered something to Wendy, then headed over in my direction.

"Good evening," he greeted me. He offered me a hand. "May I have this dance?"

I smiled as I took it, "Of course, good sir."

He led me to the middle of the dancefloor as a new song started. A familiar whistled tune filled my ears, and I relaxed into Natsu's embrace. This particular Shawn Mendes song was one of my favorites, even if it was a little inappropriate for a wedding. With one arm wrapped protectively around my waist and the other hand clutching mine, Natsu swayed us across the floor, singing the lyrics softly into my ear. My heart warmed pleasurably, and I felt tears build up behind my eyes. How had I gotten so lucky?

" _Take a piece of my heart, and make it all your own, so while we are apart, you'll never be alone,_ " Natsu serenaded me, his lips brushing against my ear. A shiver ran down my spine, and I leaned my cheek against his. I tightened my grip on his shoulder and hand, pulling him closer. Pulling his face away from mine, searched my eyes, concern filling his.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked, letting go of my hand to push a lock of hair behind my ear. I used my newly free hands to cup his face and bring it down to mine, giving him a feather-light kiss. He returned the gesture, brushing his smile against mine.

"When did I get so lucky?" I breathed, pressing my forehead to his and moving one of my hands to rest on his neck. His smile grew, and he rubbed his nose with mine.

"I should be asking you that," he said, nuzzling me further. I breathed a sigh of perfect contentment. "Would you change it?"

"What?" I asked, not quite following. Hadn't I just told him how lucky I felt?

"If you could go back, would you change anything?" he explained, looking deep into my eyes, keeping our foreheads connected. I thought for a moment, going back through the last three years of my life. To me, the answer was so simple.

"No."

He started to pull away slightly, but I held him in place.

"No, I wouldn't change anything. Every choice I've made, every experience I've had, brought me to this moment. They made me who I am today," I clarified, nuzzling his forehead with mine.

"Even the bad stuff?" His voice was small, and I knew exactly what he was thinking about.

"Yes, even the bad stuff. It is because of Dan and all of the terrible things that he did that I got to meet Levy, and Gajeel, and Gray, and Erza, and Juvia, and you. No, I'm not happy or proud that I shot him. I didn't want him to die," my voice wavered, tears threatening to fall. Natsu held me closer, apologies for bringing it up falling from his lips, but I silenced them with one finger. "But it…it…" I took a deep breath. "It is _not my fault_. I…I didn't _ask_ for anything that happened. A wise person once told me that Dan didn't deserve me." I was shaking now. "And that I…I _didn't deserve any of what happened_."

Natsu held me so tightly, I was afraid I might break in half.

"I am _so proud of you_ ," he breathed, burying his face in my hair. "I know you don't completely believe that yet, but I will keep telling you that until you do."

I tightened my grip on him, letting him share part of the burden. A small hand rested on my shoulder, and I looked over to see Levy smiling at me. Gajeel's giant hand fell on top of my head, jarring me slightly. Gray rested his hand on my other shoulder, and Juvia held my hand tightly. I smiled through my tears, waving them all off good-naturedly. As Natsu and I danced to another song, whispering congratulations to Lisanna and Bixlow as they passed us (thank the _gods_ that they didn't see my minor breakdown), I realized something. While I was nowhere near okay yet, I knew that I would be again someday. I wasn't alone anymore, and as I received another soft kiss from Natsu, something told me that I never would be again.

* * *

 **Juvia caught the bouquet. Gray promptly passed out.**

 **And there you have it, guys! This has been a wild ride fr** **om start to finish, and while I never did get to everything I had outlined, maybe I will in the future. ;)**

 **The final song is "Never Be Alone" by Shawn Mendes, which I view as the ultimate NaLu song, post 1 year timeskip. I heard it for the first time and was like, "This is totally Natsu singing to Lucy."**

 **For anyone who has been following my weird real-life, my master's thesis proposal was accepted! So thank you so much to everyone who sent me encouragement and positivity about it! I was originally going to finish this story right after I have my proposal, but then things got crazy. I graduated with my Bachelor's degree yesterday, so I decided to sit down and finally put this story to bed. Y'all have been so wonderful with your feedback, and I look forward to writing more NaLu stories in the future.**

 **I would like to give one last thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited this story since I posted the first chapter. You guys are the real MVPs, and I wouldn't have finished this story without you. Your warm words and encouragement of the story really kept me going, and so for that, I thank you.**

 **Thank you for sticking with me till the end, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I did writing it.**


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